


Book of Strangers

by evieva



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Christianity, Churches & Cathedrals, Cock Torture, Confessions, First Time, Fist Fights, Flirting, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Jealousy, Literal Sleeping Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Violence, Nudity, Oral Sex, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Strippers & Strip Clubs, To Minor Character !!, Undercover, VinDee, Wakes & Funerals, blood sweat and tears - literally!, for a tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:22:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 71,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28281615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evieva/pseuds/evieva
Summary: Diedrich's presence is once again requested by the esteemed Earl Phantomhive. Upon receiving another one of his cryptic letters, Diedrich is provided with only a vague description of what he would be getting himself into. And this mission from the Queen about some missing nobles will turn out to be a much bigger problem beneath the surface. Diedrich and Vincent are required to go deep undercover to investigate. On top of the mission, Diedrich has to continue to quell his longing for Vincent and navigate their complicated relationship. A new love interest comes along as devastating circumstances become dier—will it be more than this dynamic duo can handle? Or will their connection help them pull through to the other side, sporting a deeper understanding of one another than before?
Relationships: Diedrich/Original Male Character, Diedrich/Vincent Phantomhive
Comments: 44
Kudos: 15





	1. His Butler, Loyal

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO AND WELCOME TO THIS LONG AND PAINFUL FANFICTION!!!
> 
> I have poured my whole heart into this fic. I finished it a couple of months ago, but I've been letting to stew for a bit before I decided it was time to post it. This will be my first EVER mature/explicit fanfic on this account and I worked really, really hard on it. I have loved this pairing and knew I wanted to write an adventure fic of them ever since I first saw them, but what would I write?? How could it be entertaining?? And then, one night, I was watching a really silly movie and thought "Vincent would totally go undercover as a stripper," and it clicked. THIS WAS IT!!
> 
> I am very happy to share my first, and not last, VinDee fic! This will have more tags as it goes along, but I will be posting the first two chapters at once. AND!! I will be inserting artwork I made for all the OCs!!

> _May 30th, 1872_
> 
> _Dearest Diedrich,_
> 
> _Her Majesty has sent me a letter expressing her concerns regarding the disappearances of certain nobles and peoples in the inner London area. So far, four have gone missing without a trace. All of them are married and their wives are quite distressed. It is my job to ease their troubled thoughts as well as the Queen’s._
> 
> _By the time you get this letter, I will have already started my investigation. However, I believe I will require your assistance, old friend. I will expect your presence in London on June 6th and no later. You will find me at the address attached to this letter at 11:00 PM, the same night you arrive._
> 
> _I’m looking forward to it._
> 
> _Vincent Phantomhive_
> 
> _P.S._
> 
> _Remember: “Satan invited me to his cellar.”_

_What a strange post-script..._ This was the letter that Diedrich received on the morning of June 6th—the very same day the letter commanded him to arrive. As usual, Diedrich was being forced to do the impossible at the whim of a certain conniving earl. Did he have any idea how expensive it was to get a boat ride at the last second? On top of that, how long did it take to get to the coast from where he lived in Germany? Several hours!

Despite his irritation, Diedrich did not have much of a choice. He was still bound to Vincent by the wager they had made not yet four years ago during their time at Weston. So Diedrich had to make whatever Vincent wished would happen. Even if it was _impossible_.

Diedrich had a servant make arrangements for a carriage to the closest train station as fast as he could. “ _Aber, mein Herr, was ist mit Ihren Terminen—?_ “ 

“ _Jetzt_!” Diedrich, in his current state of anger, commanded the servant a bit harshly. He sighed at his own lack of self-control after the servant rushed off in a panic. Diedrich was well aware of the duties he was putting off and the appointments he would have to reschedule, but he had no choice but to comply with the letter. 

This had better be worth it, otherwise, that earl would be the death of him. 

After a long train ride through Belgium, Diedrich made it to the boat town in Northern France, just on the coast. He rushed to gain passage across the Strait of Dover by boat. Thankfully, he found a boat that was taking last-minute passengers so, by the time he arrived in Dover, it was already six in the evening. He had left Germany at eight that morning. So far, he’d traveled 11 hours and he still had nearly 5 more ahead of him. At the rate he was going, he would probably just barely make it to the requested destination on time. 

Vincent really knew how to aggravate Diedrich. He’d have time to think about just how he was going to scold Vincent this time over his last train ride from Dover to London. He already had several grievances lined up. 

Diedrich went through several outdated newspapers before he requested the most recent edition from the train staff as they brought him his straight, black tea. He searched through it to find the section that described the recent disappearances. 

> **_Police Still Stumped on Recent Disappearances of Noblemen Visiting London._ **
> 
> _With the most recent disappearance of Earl John Garland, the police have yet to find out what exactly is happening to the noblemen of England. All leads so far have led to dead ends. Investigators continue the search, but the clues go cold too fast. The futures for these men remain uncertain. Many of the men went out for a drink, or so they told their wives, but didn’t turn up for the remainder of the night or the next morning. The same proves true of Earl Garland, age 43. His wife and three children are awaiting any news from the police about the whereabouts of their beloved husband/father._

Diedrich scoffed. _Seems to me like you’ve got your work cut out for you, Phantomhive._

Diedrich turned his attention to the images of the noblemen shown next to the article. They all appeared rather old, perhaps middle-aged. _So there was a pattern in appearance as well as social status._

It was then that Diedrich noticed a smaller article below the one about the noblemen. The section was barely big enough to catch your eye, but it had a similar ring to it. 

> **_Sex Workers Turning up Dead in Various Locations Around London._ **
> 
> _5 found dead in back alleys and hotels around London. Police are working on finding the perpetrator, as these murder victims all have connections in sex work. Victims found with strange wounds directly to their hearts_

Diedrich squinted. Lots of murders occurred in London, but this read like mass murder. The timelines for the deaths of the workers also coincided with the nights of the noblemen’s disappearances. Diedrich expected Vincent had already made this connection, but the police probably hadn’t. It seemed like something he ought to tell Scotland Yard, if Vincent hadn’t already. Diedrich preferred to follow the rules and guidelines set by society, letting police matters be handled by the police as much as possible. 

Vincent, on the other hand, believed he could do everything by himself. He didn’t typically cooperate with the police when he was sent out as the Queen’s Watchdog. At least, how Diedrich understood Vincent to work; this, after all, was only the second time he’d been asked to assist in royal matters. 

Hopefully, it would be the last. Diedrich had no idea how long Vincent intended to keep him chained like a dog on a leash, but it couldn’t be for much longer. They had made the wager in college, after all, and they’d graduated already. 

* * *

The stars had established their position in the night sky as Diedrich walked down the streets in London. He looked at the address Vincent had sent one more time and turned the corner. Just down the street in the dim lights on the streetlamps, he made out the name of the location he was sent to. 

A sign swung languidly above Diedrich, revealing the name “The Lion’s Den”. It was a little tavern nestled in between a shop featuring a spread of masquerade masks and another that appeared abandoned, by the sight of its dark, empty windows. On the outside, it seemed like a cheap little bar for locals in a poorer part of London. 

_This_ was where Vincent wanted to meet him? Diedrich double-checked the address. It was correct. 

Skeptical, Diedrich made his way inside. When he opened the tavern door, greeted by a bell above him, he was met with a typical scene: a small bar with a few people inside sitting at small tables. There was a bartender wiping out glasses as Diedrich stepped inside. 

There was, however, no sign of Vincent Phantomhive. He wasn’t at the bar nor at one of the tables. 

With a huff, Diedrich approached the bar as he checked his watch. It was 11:03. He was on time, so why wasn’t Vincent there?

“Good evening, good sir,” the bartender started. “Can I get you anything?”

Diedrich looked over at him, his expression probably harsher than usual due to his long travels. It occurred to Diedrich that if Vincent had sent him here, there was a reason. His mind went back to the letter he read the same morning. It felt like days ago, but Diedrich remembered the postscript and the cryptic words it contained. 

“No, I don’t think so. However…” Diedrich leaned over the bar and in a low tone, said, “Satan invited me to his cellar…”

Without hesitation, the bartender said, “This way, please.”

Diedrich watched as he went through a door behind the bar. He followed, carefully. It appeared to be a storage area where they kept their alcohol supply, but Diedrich figured they weren’t back there for the barrels of beer, even if he could use one.

He watched as the bartender pushed a crate away from the backmost wall. Carefully, he knocked thrice on it, and, to Diedrich’s surprise, someone opened an invisible door. 

“We have another guest.” The bartender informed the man on the other side, whose entire face was covered by a mask of some sort. 

The man who opened the door gestured with his head at Diedrich, motioning him to come in. Diedrich did so, watching the mysterious man warily in case he was attacked. 

This was all so strange it was starting to make Diedrich nervous. _What did Phantomhive get himself into this time?_

Inside the door was an upper landing of stairs that lead down into the dark. With one last look at the bartender, who was already shutting the door again, Diedrich descended the staircase. 

When he reached the bottom, he opened another door. On the other side, there was a hall made of red curtains that led to the left and another person wearing a mask standing and waiting. 

“Please select a mask, sir,” he said. 

Diedrich looked over the various masks hanging before him. He looked at the masked man suspiciously before picking out a simple black and grey domino mask. They appeared to be from the shop next door, considering their similar designs. 

He placed the mask over his face and the masked man before him gestured for him to move forward. “Your desires are welcome and your sins are secret. Enjoy your night.”

Diedrich did not respond. Partly because he didn’t know how to and partly because _what_ did that even _mean_? The deeper Diedrich went, the more he was regretting leaving Germany in the first place. 

As he made his way down the red hallway, he noticed there was piano music playing accompanied by a violin. It wasn’t a recognizable song. In fact, despite Diedrich’s relative familiarity with popular songs, he had never heard it before. Perhaps it was an original composition? Maybe this was a secret music club. 

Although Diedrich knew he’d never get it that easy. 

But, when he finally exited the hallway and parted the curtains at the end, he didn’t think he deserved it to be so hard. 

Inside, there was a crowd of men and tables all surrounding a small stage at the end of the room. The men were cheering and whooping at someone on stage—a man lit by lights from above and wearing a rather skimpy outfit that was white and lacy with a long, sheer skirt. He wore a mask of his own that matched his clothing with long, white feathers sticking out the top, all of which stood in direct contrast to his dark hair. 

The man on stage was dancing with a feather fan, leaning to and fro around thin, metal poles that stood along the stage. 

Everyone was captivated—the man on stage had a presence that easily caught attention. And the fact that he was practically naked made that presence all the more demanding. His body was slender but not bony, and the way he moved his hips was bewitching. 

Diedrich had to actively tear his eyes away to get back to the task at hand. He had to find where Vincent was in the crowd of drunk, horny men. 

As he made his way around the room, he picked up a glass of champagne from a waiter who was making rounds. He found his way near the stage, looking at the men sitting at the tables. They were all wearing masks, so it was hard to tell where Vincent was. 

Diedrich started getting annoyed looks as he walked in front of the stage, probably because he was blocking the view. He didn’t really care that much—he just didn’t want to be in trouble with Vincent if he thought he was unforgivably late, at all of five minutes behind schedule. 

As Diedrich continued to scan the room, he noticed the men started laughing. Diedrich still couldn’t see Vincent in the crowd, so he supposed he was elsewhere rather than watching the show.

“Oi, mate! Look behind ya!” A voice shouted from the crowd, suddenly. Was he talking to Diedrich? 

Curious, Diedrich turned around and was alarmed to see the man on stage leaning in front of his face. He was flexed backward, hanging off of the pole, his head upside-down. 

Diedrich couldn’t help but shirk away slightly in surprise but even more in shock. 

His green eyes were staring directly into familiar brown ones, whose lashes he’d recognize anywhere. 

Diedrich’s heart stopped when he finally processed that Vincent was the man on stage—he was not amongst the crowd. 

“Hi, Dee…” Vincent whispered, caressing his face. The crowd hollered in excitement. “You’re a little late…”

Diedrich was in a stupor. There was _no way_ Vincent was doing this—there was _no way_ he was up on a stage in such a revealing outfit, showing off his body to a bunch of perverted strangers. It just wasn’t right. This kind of thing shouldn’t happen. It was unheard of!

“I’ll meet you backstage…” Vincent whispered, popping Diedrich’s jaw shut with one of his fingers. He pulled himself back up on the pole to finish his show and Diedrich had to try to not pass out as he did it.

Vincent threw off the lacy skirt he had on and it draped over Diedrich’s head, covering his face. Diedrich was partially glad it did; it would help to obscure his expression of utter embarrassment. 

With a flourish of the violin, Vincent spun away on the stage, hitting everyone with a devilish grin as he tugged downward teasingly on his already-revealing underwear, shaking his hips. He bent forward, his ass toward the audience, touching his toes in his high-heeled shoes and looking at the audience through his legs. This received loud, boisterous applause and Diedrich wondered how he couldn’t hear them when he had been in the bar upstairs. 

With one last wink, Vincent exited the stage, waving and blowing kisses before disappearing behind the curtains. Just before he did, however, he caught Diedrich’s gaze which had been glued on him since he first revealed himself. He smiled at Diedrich, slyly, before being swallowed by the curtains. 

As Diedrich came out of his stupor, he pulled the skirt off his head and stared at it. He couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed. The other men around him clapped him on his shoulder, congratulating him—others glared, almost in jealousy. Diedrich wasn’t feeling much but he did notice one man in specific looked at him with a fair bit of animosity as he left the room. He noted that for later. 

It was then that a woman came up on stage. She was fully clothed, so panic didn’t immediately fill Diedrich to his throat, but it was hard to cool the panic that remained from the events that occurred not minutes ago. 

“That was the newest member of our pride: Dot, everyone!” she announced in a noticeable French accent, receiving an enthusiastic response. “Wasn’t he just precious?”

Again, the crowd cheered. _Precious?_ Diedrich thought, finally having the wear-with-all to produce one, _more like devious, outrageous, positively shameless…_

“We still have one more show that starts exactly at midnight, folks, so do wait up,” she said, her expression calculating. “In the meantime, fill your desires with plenty of champagne, and our kittens will be out to play shortly…”

The crowd cheered again. Diedrich wasn’t sure how to feel about what had just happened, but he was sure of one thing: he wanted to get out of this crowd of perverts. He didn’t like that he was being associated with them. 

When the men were once again distracted, Diedrich managed to slip out of the group and backstage. It was darker backstage, so he removed his mask to make it easier to see. He snuck down the hall, past the stage, toward a room at the other end which was alight and bustling. 

Carefully, Diedrich pushed the door open and peeked inside. There were several men in skimpy outfits backstage, too, all of them of a similar body type and level of beauty. They, of course, were no match for Vincent, but they were close runners-up. 

Diedrich’s eyes darted around, trying to find Vincent when he was suddenly grabbed from behind. 

“Excuse me, sir, but you’re not allowed back here.” It was the same voice as the woman before, but the hand belonged to the bodyguard in the mask at the top of the stairs. He was slightly taller than Diedrich and much more muscular. 

Diedrich figured there’d be trouble with this guy. 

“I’m sorry, but I have a friend who… works here,” Diedrich tried to explain, looking back at the woman and the bodyguard. 

“That’s what they all say,” said the bodyguard, his grip tightening on Diedrich’s shoulder. Diedrich’s expression darkened at this action. He wasn’t really in the mood for a fight, but if it came down to it, he’d probably kill everyone in there to get Vincent out of this. 

“Yes,” the woman agreed but stepped closer to Diedrich. “However, I don’t believe I’ve seen you in here before. What is your name?”

“This is Mr. Hartmann.” Another voice sounded from in front of Diedrich. He turned to see Vincent, still in his getup but without the mask this time. “Do forgive me, he is an old friend and I invited him…”

“Ooh, la la! Your first night on stage and you’re already bringing in new customers?” the woman said with a smile. “Well, you certainly were a good hire.”

“Thank you, Mademoiselle Aline.” Vincent bowed his head. 

“Friend or not, he cannot be backstage. You may, however, speak with him in your back room.” Mademoiselle Aline said. “As long as you’re not late for the final bow.”

“I assure you, mademoiselle, you can count on me.” Vincent stepped toward Diedrich, taking his other shoulder. He looked at the bodyguard’s grip on Diedrich’s shoulder. “Gage, do you mind?”

Gage, as he was called, grunted, reluctantly releasing Diedrich. 

“Come along, Gage. The kittens are out, and that is where you’re needed the most,” Mademoiselle Aline commanded, tapping him with her hand fan. Gage held his gaze with Diedrich, not wanting to back down, but turned away, grumbling. 

“Good boy,” Aline followed him but glanced back. She smiled at Diedrich, her expression shady. 

“Dee, come with me,” Vincent said. 

“No, you should come with me.“ Diedrich grabbed Vincent by the arm, stopping him from walking away. “You shouldn’t be here. This is salacious. And probably illegal. Any respectable earl would know that much.”

“So, what? You don’t respect me?” Vincent raised his brow. Diedrich didn’t respond because, at that moment, he wasn’t sure. Vincent sighed. “Just let me explain first before you make a big fuss.”

Diedrich huffed and reluctantly followed Vincent deeper into the (literal) lion’s den.

* * *

Diedrich followed Vincent until they came to a little room in the back. It had a bed just barely big enough for two, a lantern, a bedside table, and a plethora of pillows. It was so small, one could call it a closet rather than a room. 

Diedrich looked around, appalled. “This is where you’ve been staying?”

“Just for the past few days…” Vincent responded. He took a robe off of a hook that was right by the door and slid it on. “I’ve been working, after all.”

“Ugh,” Diedrich scoffed in disgust. “You’re way above this, Phantomhive. Why are you doing this?”

“I investigated and found out that this is where the noblemen disappeared. Although I have yet to find them, the bar was the last place they were seen.” Vincent sat down on the bed, looking too comfortable. “Logically, that would mean they came down here—but why haven’t they returned home?”

“Maybe they joined in on this obscenity as you did.” Diedrich angrily crossed his arms.

“This nightclub has very specific requirements that I happened to fulfill,” Vincent explained, looking at Diedrich cockily. “Knowing that, do you think those _old men_ stood a chance with those as their standards?”

Diedrich couldn’t deny it. There was no way the men he saw in the paper were qualified for this job. “Well, where do _you_ think they went?”

“My first instinct is murder, but… I have a feeling that’s not quite right.” Vincent cocked his head to the side and pushed some of his hair behind his ear. “Do _you_ have any ideas?”

Diedrich took a deep breath through his nose. Something was bothering him, immensely, and he hadn’t had the chance to bring it up. His rage started boiling over, becoming apparent on his face. 

“Dee?” Vincent looked at him with wider eyes than normal, his cocky expression fading.

“You made me come all the way here to see you make a fool out of yourself and disgrace your bloodline!?” Diedrich knew he was loud when he shouted, but he couldn’t stop himself. 

“Well, not quite—”

“ _Nein! Nein!_ Your scheme this time is _too much_ ! This is _servant work!_ ” Diedrich continued yelling, gesturing aggressively with his hands. “No, this is _lower_ than servant work! You are an earl! Surely there must have been a better way to investigate this!?”

“Quiet down, now, Dee,” Vincent said, calmly. “And, yes, there may have been another way, but, it was _so_ much less fun than this.”

Diedrich could feel his head about to explode. “The next time you think about getting yourself caught in stupid situations, maybe you should send me a letter sooner so I can knock some sense into you! Those men out there are all perverts or worse! I don’t even want to _think_ about the things they are imagining doing to you! It makes me sick!”

“Aw, Dee, are you worried about me?” Vincent teased and this made Diedrich bite his tongue and his face went red for a different reason than anger. 

“ _Mein Gott, du bist ein Idiot!_ ” Diedrich tutted, turning away from Vincent and caressing his head, which had just started hurting. Diedrich tried to calm himself. There was no reason to try to stop this since it had already started—and it didn’t seem like Vincent was willing to stop anyway. Diedrich sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“I appreciate the concern, Dee, but I’m sure I can handle a couple of pervy men…”

“That’s not what I’m worried about!” Diedrich whipped around again, giving Vincent a look that was the closest to concern that Diedrich could manage at that moment. “These… _dancers_ are the types of men who have been murdered recently! How are we to know that you won’t be next? There have already been 5 casualties!”

Vincent smiled at Diedrich, a knowing glint in his eyes. “So, you’ve been paying attention… Good boy. I knew you would.”

“I read the paper if that’s what you mean.” Diedrich shook his head. “There is no _way_ I’m letting you go through with this. Not with a clear conscience.”

“Why do you think I ordered you to come up here?” The earl adjusted in his seating, closing his eyes with a small smile on his face. “I knew that I’d be a little… distracted… I knew I needed someone who would watch my back. And someone who knew how to keep a secret.”

Diedrich scoffed once again. Scoffing, he’d noticed, was a habit he’d cultivated in the course of his time with Vincent. “How do you expect me to do that? Let me guess—you want me to disgrace myself along with you?”

“No, not quite. I thought of a better position that suits you more.” Vincent looked up at Diedrich again and Diedrich ignored the way his heart skipped a beat when he was under Vincent’s gaze. “However, I just want to check that you’re still loyal to me. That you’ll trust me and listen to what I say no matter what.”

“What? There’s no need for that. I always keep my word.” Diedrich’s eyebrows furrowed deeper.  
“Oh? Come then—on your knees.” Vincent pointed to the floor in front of him. 

“Wha—!?” Diedrich was alarmed at this request. Vincent did this sort of thing a lot in college, but it had been a while since he last did it. This made Diedrich think that this was a very serious task he was about to be handed. He huffed, turning his gaze away, but he knelt down in front of Vincent despite his embarrassment. 

Vincent smirked at him like he usually did, then he put one of his hands on his face. “Ah, I love it when you do this… dear, oh dear, Dee, you really are a puppy aren’t you?”

“Shut up…,” Diedrich mumbled, not daring to meet Vincent’s gaze. This made Vincent giggle. 

“No matter. Glad to see you’re still mine, after all.” Vincent said, patting Diedrich on the head. Diedrich jerked his head away at this gesture, not wanting to be patronized. 

“Who else’s would I be?” Diedrich said under his breath, standing again and snapping his suit jacket back in order.

“What was that?” Vincent asked.

“Nothing,” Diedrich responded, returning the distance between him and Vincent. “So, what do you want me to do? I came all this way. I’ll go through with it.”

“Well, you don’t have a choice but to go through with it, but, whatever makes you feel better, Dee.” Vincent crossed his legs as he leaned back on his arms. “We don’t have much time left until the final bow, so I’ll keep it simple. You’re going to become the new bodyguard.”

“What? Of this place?” Diedrich looked skeptical. 

“Yes,” Vincent confirmed. “The one that works here now, Gage… he’s a little… handsy with the performers. I can tell none of the other boys like him, so it shouldn’t be hard to convince _them_. But… you will need to convince Mademoiselle Aline.”

“You mean _die Französin_? How am I supposed to do that?”

“You’ll soon see, now, won’t you?” Vincent responded. Diedrich didn’t like the tone he was using. But he couldn’t very well beat it out of him, no matter how much he wanted to. This day just kept getting worse and worse. 

“Come, now. I’ve got to get back out there.” Vincent stood, then, untying his robe. Diedrich tried not to watch. “Why don’t you enjoy the rest of the show and I’ll speak with you afterward, yes?”

Diedrich had to stop himself from refusing. He didn’t _ever_ want to see Vincent on that stage again, but he was right. He had no choice but to obey. Diedrich was loyal to a fault. 

He was certain that such loyalty was going to get him killed one day. 

* * *

‘One day’ came a little faster than he thought it would. When the show officially ended and all the performers waved goodbye and goodnight, Mademoiselle Aline appeared on stage again. 

“Thank you all so much for your kind donations and presence here tonight. The Lion’s Den greatly appreciates your generosity,” she said with a big smile on her face. “And, to show our appreciation, tonight we have a special encore.”

The crowd’s excitement rose again, clearly not ready to go home even though it was nearly one in the morning. Diedrich shook his head, his exhaustion catching up with him. No matter how many he ate, the little hors d'oeuvres they provided the crowd was simply not enough to satisfy his appetite, nor did they give him enough energy to last through an encore. He was considering retiring to his temporary hotel when, suddenly, the spotlight shone on him where he sat at a little table in the back. 

He looked up in surprise, shielding his eyes with his arm. 

“One of our guests tonight has challenged our revered Gage to a fight for his esteemed position as our house bouncer!” Aline explained and Diedrich couldn’t help but sit up in his chair. _He did_ what _now!?_

Another spotlight found Gage, who was angrily pounding his fist in his hand. The crowd roared with excitement. Diedrich looked over at him, his alarm not waning in the slightest. 

“And this dogfight would not be complete without a few bets, now, would it?” Aline announced, looking between the members of the crowd. “Please, folks, go place your bets while my staff clears the area in preparation for this legendary event.”

Just like a pack of sheep being chased by a dog, all the men in the room shuffled over to the bar on the far right side of the room. Diedrich backed away as the waiting staff started picking up the chairs and tables and moved them to the side. 

Just then, his back ran into none other than Vincent, who turned Diedrich in a circle and began removing his tie and unbuttoning his jacket. “Now, now, Dee, don’t look so distraught; no one’s going to bet on you that way. Here.” Vincent pulled down his jacket then loosened his undershirt. He took off Diedrich’s mask and brushed back his hair. 

“Phantomhive, wha—”

“Hush, now, Dee. You’ll be alright,” Vincent interrupted. “Watch the way Gage moves. He has a weakness.”

“Wha—what?” Diedrich shook his head, trying to wrap his brain around what Vincent was saying to him. 

“Do your best, Dee, you’re starting now,” Vincent said, giving Diedrich an abrupt smack on the face and whirling him back around. “And I expect you to win…”

With these final words and a quick smack on his ass, Diedrich was now surrounded by a crowd of masked gentlemen, facing Gage—a man who was clearly bigger than him. Diedrich did sports, but it looked like Gage lifted trains in his spare time. Additionally, as his black jacket, mask, and undershirt were removed, he revealed various scars all over his body. This man had been in a number of fights before.

Diedrich, suddenly caught up in a very real fight, started stalking lowly around the ring of gentlemen as slowly as possible. Gage mirrored his movement, jumping up and down as he warmed up his arms. As he did this, Diedrich rolled up his sleeves. 

_Watch the way Gage moves. He has a weakness._

Patiently he looked for a pattern, but it was hard to find when Gage kept bouncing around. Once again, Vincent has tasked him with something impossible. But as Diedrich always did, he had to find a way to make it possible. And Vincent’s little hint was going to help him along the way—if he could actually find out what it was.

Just then, Gage charged at Diedrich, coming right at him with a right-handed jab. Diedrich dodged it, stepping to the left. 

_Big mistake_. This left him open on his other side, making it easy for Gage to get in a hit on Diedrich’s stomach. The crowd cheered for Gage and for the first hit.

With a deep grunt, Diedrich took several steps back, gripping at his side and wincing in pain. Gage didn’t seem to be in any mood to lose his job. _Come on, come on, a weakness… Where!?_

Out of nowhere, another hit landed on Diedrich’s left temple, causing him to fall backward. His vision blurred and his face felt numb, not to mention the feelings of his brain being rattled around in his head. He could barely hear the crowd as they went wild. It was like thunder in Diedrich’s ears.

Diedrich righted himself and pranced lightly around his opponent, trying to clear his head. He shook out his hands as he noticed something. 

When Gage was walking sideways, his right leg seemed to give out slightly. 

He had a limp. Which meant he had taken damage there before. Which meant he had a point of weakness. Diedrich only needed to exploit it. 

“Is that all you’ve got?” Diedrich taunted, knowing that getting Gage angry would blind him to Diedrich’s ploy to aim for his knee.

Diedrich couldn’t help but notice now that some of the performers who he saw backstage had joined the crowd behind Vincent. They seemed very interested in seeing what would happen.

It was then that Diedrich remembered what Vincent had said about Gage—how he got handsy with the performers. Diedrich wondered if that had included Vincent. Simply the thought of him putting his nasty hands on Vincent was enough to light a fire in Diedrich. 

With a deafening battle cry, Gage charged Diedrich again, just as he had planned. At the very last second, he ducked down so that Gage’s swing went past him. Then, he took advantage of his low position to target Gage’s leg.

Diedrich, with as much strength as he could muster, kicked his foot out, aiming it directly at the center of Gage’s knee. 

He was right on target. There was a sharp cracking sound and Gage howled in pain, collapsing down on the knee that Diedrich hadn't just dislocated. He grasped it as Diedrich rose from the ground. 

Slowly, Diedrich stepped toward Gage, who was sweating and shaking in pain. His face was grimacing severely as Diedrich looked down at him from above. Gage turned his gaze up, but Diedrich figured he couldn’t see very well through the pain. 

Diedrich glanced up at Vincent who gave him an affirming nod. 

With this signal Diedrich pulled his right arm back, then hurled it right into Gage’s left cheek, practically sending him flying backward. The crowd, who was rather silent at this point, gasped at the power behind Diedrich’s punch. 

Gage crashed to the floor, out cold and down for the count. 

After finally catching his breath from the sheer rush of adrenaline, Diedrich’s hearing started returning and the booming cheering and booing of the crowd filled them. 

“It looks like we have a winner!” Mademoiselle Aline called over the crowd. Diedrich shook out his hand, of which his knuckles were bleeding and pounding in pain. “Congratulations, Mr. Hartmann—you’re our new doorman!”

Several people crowded around Diedrich to give him a pat on the shoulder and Diedrich could barely understand them. In his bleariness, the masks were making Diedrich dizzy, like he was surrounded by sparkling animals; he could make out an owl and a cat.

“Good job, mate.”

“Good fight, sir!” 

A short, platinum blonde boy, much to Diedrich’s surprise, even leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.

“Thank you, sir…,” said a young, shy voice. The boy, who looked all of twelve years old, was holding on to Diedrich’s arm. He appeared to be one of the dancers of the club. He was a little too young for such an environment if you asked Diedrich. “I couldn’t stand that Gage anymore. You’re truly noble!”

“Uhm.” Diedrich couldn’t find the words to respond with. 

“It was his pleasure, I’m sure.” Vincent walked up next to them. 

“Dot! Did you say he was a friend of yours?” the young man asked as the crowd started to clear. The staff was urging everyone to collect their wagers and have a good night. 

“Why yes, he is, Ange. This is Ernst Hartmann. He is a dear friend of mine,” Vincent explained, leaning his head on Diedrich’s shoulder. “Ernie, why don’t we go get you cleaned up, eh?”

“‘Ernie’?” Diedrich responded in disgust. He felt rather light-headed but well enough to hear a bad nickname when it was being used.

“So you’re German, Mr. Hartmann? Quite a strong man you are,” Ange noted, guiding Diedrich out of the main area and toward the back. 

Diedrich had no response. He wasn’t as good as Vincent at falling into any role that was thrust upon him. Maybe being himself with a different name was all he needed to do. 

And if that was the case, this escort was making him uncomfortable. Ange was clinging to him like a lifeline and he was comfortable enough to even sneak one of his delicate hands over Diedrich’s chest. 

This was going a bit far for Diedrich. 

When they reached the doorway to the backstage, Diedrich took Ange’s hand and pushed it away. “I can stand on my own, thank you.”

Ange looked a bit surprised, but then he shied away slightly. “Yes, of course.” 

“Come, Ernie, sit here,” Vincent instructed and Diedeich did as he was told. 

When he plopped down into the little chair, he realized he had a little bit of a parade behind him. Lots of young boys, who were also around Ange’s age, were trailing him and staring at him in awe. Diedrich realized they were the ‘kittens’ that were out entertaining the crowd while they were waiting for the final performance. 

Diedrich groaned and bowed his head, barely able to keep his eyes open. His exhaustion, dehydration, and lack of nutrients was finally setting in and he felt like he was melting into the chair. 

“Ernie, you’re bleeding,” Vincent’s voice sounded next to him. Diedrich could feel a cloth of some sort in his forehead and it stung to have it be touched. “Don’t worry—you can rest. We’ll take care of you.”

Diedrich’s eyes fluttered open for a moment. He felt like he was fading in and out of consciousness. He could also feel a dozen hands all over him, dressing his wounds, taking off his shoes, and leaning his chair back. 

His hand was also being attended to; wrapped with a cloth and then held, firmly. 

“You did great, Dee…,” Vincent’s voice echoed in Diedrich’s ears. Diedrich was certain it was Vincent’s hand that was holding his, and, in his wavering consciousness, Diedrich squeezed it. 

“Well, that was certainly something,” another voice said. Diedrich just barely registered it as Aline. “I didn’t expect you to beat Gage. You’re full of surprises, though. Like how you knew our dear Dot.”

“Ernst has always been there for me. He’s from Germany, but he’s been looking for more work anywhere he can get it,” Vincent responded, and Diedrich started coming out of his daze. There was a cup of water being offered to him when he was able to get his eyes open. “I sent him a letter a few days ago about this position.”

“But you didn’t tell him it was already taken?” Mademoiselle Aline responded. “Gage has worked here for a while, but… he has been getting on in age. It was about time for a new hire.”

“I figured as much.” 

The cup before him was pressed to Diedrich’s lips and the young voice of Ange could be heard on his left. “Here, sir, drink up. You’ll feel better if you do.”

Diedrich turned his head away and reached up to take the cup. There was no way he was allowing a little boy to help him drink. With a deep breath, Diedrich downed the cup, savoring every gulp. 

He laid his head back with a sigh after having finished the cup. Ange gave him another dazzled look then took the cup from his hands. “I’ll go get more!”

Diedrich allowed this. He didn’t want Ange to be near him while he was _this_ out of it. 

“But your idea to make it a spectacle was, how should I say… _Magnifique_!” Aline continued as Ange rushed away. “How could I resist such an offer?”

 _You could have said ‘no’...,_ Diedrich thought, sitting up in the chair. He noticed that his shoes were indeed gone along with his shirt. Thank God he still had his pants. “Where are my clothes?” he grunted groggily. 

“Don’t worry—they’re right here.” Vincent pointed down next to him. 

“Poor boy, you’re positively _épuisée_ ,” Mademoiselle Aline stated. “Dot, you should show him to his new quarters. I already had the servants clear out Gage’s things. He needs his rest for tomorrow night's show.”

“Of course, Mademoiselle,” Vincent responded. “Come along, Ernie. You’ll be right as rain once you get some sleep.” 

Diedrich groaned, picking up his shoes and shirt while Vincent supported him. 

“Have a good night. We’ll talk about your wages and responsibilities tomorrow when you're more attentive.” Mademoiselle Aline patted Diedrich in the shoulder. It was stronger than Diedrich expected, making him sway in his balance. 

“Yes, Madam,” was all Diedrich could get out. He knew he had to try to keep up appearances but it was so very hard at that moment. 

“ _Bonne nuit_.”

“ _Vous aussi,_ ” Vincent responded while leading Diedrich out of the changing room toward the back. 

On their way there, the pain around Diedrich’s stomach started pulsing and he winced. His ribs were most definitely bruised. Or, at least, _something_ was. 

They made it to a room at the front of the hall, next to a locked door. Vincent shut the door behind them as Diedrich looked around at where he’d be staying for who knows how long. 

“Well done, Dee,” he said, helping Diedrich over to the bed.

With a harsh grunt, Diedrich collapsed onto the rather large mattress in the corner of the room. Subconsciously, he didn’t like the fact that this was Gage’s old room, but he was too tired to care.

Vincent sat down next to him, checking his head wound once more. “Really, Dee, you ought to be proud.”

Diedrich swatted Vincent’s hand away, his annoyance swelling a bit. “Stop doting on me and let me sleep, Phantomhive.”

“Awh, but I never get to dote on you, Dee,” Vincent replied, laying his head down on his hands on Diedrich’s chest. Diedrich sighed, once again too tired to stop him.

“I figured… you’d never want to…” Diedrich swallowed, squeezing his eyes shut. Vincent laughed at this. 

“Well, sometimes I do…,” Vincent sat up and pulled the blanket at the end of the bed over Diedrich. “Really, though, Dee. Well done. Sleep well.”

Diedrich moaned, his eyes already shut, as he was already half-asleep. He faded out of reality soon after, the last sensation he felt being subtle wetness and warmth on the hand he had damaged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Diedrich... already in so much pain... 
> 
> Hope you all are excited so far!!
> 
> Next chapter, here we go!
> 
> Here is concept art for all the new characters!!
> 
> https://evieva.tumblr.com/post/639636022140010496/i-have-created-a-fanfiction-it-is-for-black


	2. His Butler, Working

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually have a playlist on Spotify if anyone is interested in listening to it while they read... lemme know!!
> 
> Enjoy!

Diedrich’s sleep was long, deep, and uninterrupted. It felt like an eon had passed between the events of the night before and the time that Diedrich woke up to what he figured was the afternoon sun. Well, with the amount of sunlight shining in through the tiny window near the ceiling.

With a groan, Diedrich rolled over, his body slowly awakening with a variety of aches and stiffness.  It took him a while to open his eyes, but when he did, he was shocked to find four pairs of eyes gazing down at him. 

Diedrich jerked awake, jumping away from the faces of the four young men in his room, including Ange. 

“Ah! Good morning, Mr. Hartmann!” Ange said, his face lighting up in a smile. His bright blue eyes were positively glittering. 

“We just wanted to make sure you were alright,” another boy with darker hair and skin chimed in. “You weren’t in a very good state last night…”

“Here, we brought you water!” A third young man offered Diedrich a cup. His hair was deep black and his eyes were so dark one could almost say they were black too.

“And breakfast!” The fourth young man, who was a bit older than the others, presented him with a plate of bread and ham. He had long, reddish hair and freckles.

Diedrich sat up, scooting back as he did so and keeping his covers up over his bare chest. “Uh, thank you…,” he said, hesitantly taking the cup and plate from the boys.

“My name is Aais,” The darker-skinned boy stated. “And this is Zuzu and Leo. We’re so happy you’re here!” 

Diedrich didn’t respond. He opened his mouth to try to say something, but no words came to mind. 

“Go on, then—eat!” Leo said with a grin. 

“Yes, please, you’ll need your strength,” Ange echoed, looking rather bashful. 

Diedrich looked down at the food, then back at the boys before picking up a bit of ham with the crooked old fork they gave him and biting into it. 

Despite himself, Diedrich sighed in relief. He was very hungry, and the ham was actually quite good. 

“Oh, do you like it?” Zuzu asked, sitting down on Diedrich’s bed. His hair was a mess on his head, almost like he had only just gotten out of bed. “I’m so glad.”

“Ange cooked it for you!” Aais mentioned.

Ange shushed him. “You don’t need to tell him that!”

Diedrich swallowed after taking a few bites of the bread they provided. “So… what are you all… doing in here?” 

The boys paused and exchanged looks. Leo was the first to speak up. “Well, we just… wanted to make your acquaintance, sir. You did save us from that nasty man.”

“Gage?” Diedrich asked.

Aais nodded. “He… wasn’t very nice…”

“He took what he wanted when he wanted it,” Zuzu added, his expression falling. “Even if  _ we _ didn’t.”

Diedrich’s heart sank. These boys really had been abused by that man. Diedrich was suddenly glad he’d battered the cretin and shattered his knee. He almost wished he had killed Gage, though; such a disgusting beast didn’t deserve to live.

“That doesn’t matter anymore, though!” Ange waved the thoughts away and put his hands on Diedrich’s forearm, looking at him excitedly. “You’ll protect us now, right, Mr. Hartmann?”

Diedrich’s brow furrowed. This was strange in multiple ways. For one thing, because of his demeanor and outward appearance, kids were usually scared of Diedrich. But since he’d beat up Gage last night, he probably won their favor. Additionally, they were very clingy to him, almost like he was going to disappear at any moment. They treated him like some sort of angel that would only be there for a single moment, before vanishing.

Well, he wouldn’t be around them for very long. In the time he  _ was _ going to be there, though, he was most certainly not going anywhere. 

Before he could respond to Ange’s question, Mademoiselle Aline opened the door. “Alright, boys. Out, now. Mr. Hartmann needs his rest and privacy. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know him.”

All the boys immediately scrambled to leave, all of them replying with a short “Yes, Mademoiselle!” before they scurried out the door. Ange gave Diedrich one last glance over the shoulder before closing the door behind him. 

Diedrich had a feeling this was going to be a problem. 

“ _ Bonjour, _ Mr. Hartmann,” Mademoiselle Aline said. She had a set of keys in her hand and they jangled as she walked toward Diedrich’s bedside. 

Diedrich realized then he really didn’t like people being in his presence when he hadn’t even gotten dressed. 

“Good morning,” Diedrich responded, slowly. He set down the plate and cup next to him on the side table and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, out of his covers. 

“So, tonight we open at 9. You’ll need to wear a mask that conceals your whole face,” Mademoiselle Aline started, making a circle around the room, observing the sparsely placed furniture and cobwebs with a captious look in her eye. “You’ll collect that and your uniform from Mr. McKnight today. Your pay will start at 4 shillings a week and you will receive bread for breakfast and one meal per day.”

Diedrich upon hearing this information, without thinking, looked at the breakfast he was brought. It wasn’t just bread—was this his one meal!? 

Mademoiselle Aline laughed. “That one doesn’t count. The ham was out of the kindness of the  _ chatons _ . Don’t expect it  _ every _ day, however.”

“Right,” Diedrich responded, awkwardly taking up his shirt and slipping it on, remembering he was not comfortable being under the gaze of others when he wasn’t dressed.

“Your job is to let the members of the pride into the club in the evening and watch them in order to protect the performers,” Aline continued. “The customers are allowed to get a little handsy with the  _ chatons _ , but you should know the limits. The customers  _ will  _ test them.”

_ If it were up to me, the limit would be  _ no _ touching. For that matter, they shouldn’t even be allowed to look, _ Diedrich thought. 

“Albert will alert you when there is a knock after the first opening. It is unusual, though, so your station is under the light by the bar.” Aline stopped in front of Diedrich, the set of keys she had dangling in front of him. She was flipping through them as she said, “These are your keys. You, as the guard, get access to the performers’ rooms, the front door, the back door, and, of course, your own room. You must do a nightly check-in to make sure the performers’ rooms haven’t been invaded while you weren’t looking. As well you must lock their doors from the outside nightly and unlock them in the morning. I’ve already unlocked their doors this morning.”

Diedrich resisted the urge to cringe. That would explain why Gage had so much power over the boys—he had access to them at all times.

“At 9 o’clock, sharp, they will go to the restroom. They have freedom for the whole day until the show is over. However, you must watch them for the day as they practice and do other such things. 

“Lastly, do you see the bells up here?” Mademoiselle Aline pointed above Diedrich. There, hanging on the wall, were what appeared to be servant bells. “If the boys need anything, they will ring you to let you know, such as needing to use the restroom in the night, water, or medical assistance,” Aline finished, dangling the keys in front of Diedrich. He took the keychain. It was heavier than he’d expected, unless, maybe, it was all in his head.

“Come, get up now and finish your breakfast. You’ll be introduced to all the performers in five minutes.  _ Allez vite! _ ”

Diedrich froze for a moment in surprise and then scarfed down the rest of his food and water. He shoved his feet in his boots, standing to look at himself in the mirror. 

He was appalled at his appearance. He had a huge, swollen bruise on this upper temple and his hair was a disaster.  _ No nobleman should ever have such a shabby appearance... _

With an embarrassed sigh, he used a bit of the water left in his cup to slick his hair back to look remotely presentable. His fist still ached and stung from the blow he’d dealt last night, but he would worry about that later. According to his clock, it was already well past 13:00. He didn’t have any more time to waste if he wanted to keep this job.

* * *

Diedrich rushed out of the room and into the common area. The chairs and tables were still stacked to the side from last night's fight and a few bloodstains remained on the floor. Diedrich wondered if the blood was only his.

“ _Excusez-moi, chacun!_ ” Mademoiselle Aline called out to the crowd of boys waiting on the stage. Almost immediately, they went quiet, turning their attention to the madam. “Allow me to introduce our new guard dog, _Le_ _Chien_.”

_ ‘Le Chien’?  _ Didn’t that mean...‘dog’? Diedrich’s annoyance spiked. First, he’d been called ‘Ernie’ and now he’d simply be known as ‘Dog’. He couldn’t think up a worse name that would get him teased more by Vincent. 

Diedrich, at that moment, actively avoided Vincent’s gaze. Knowing Vincent as Diedrich did, he was almost certain the bastard was laughing. 

“Please, introduce yourselves and behave,” Mademoiselle Aline ordered. “ _ Le Chien _ will be taking good care of you precious  _ chatons _ from now on.” 

All the performers got in a line, and Diedrich was finally able to count how many there were. Including the four young boys he met earlier and Vincent, there were nine. 

The first to approach him eagerly reached to shake his hand. “That was quite the fight you had last night, ol chap,” he said. This boy was bone-thin and couldn’t have been older than eighteen. His hair was rust-colored, long, falling in his face. He had long lashes that shaded his hazel eyes. “My name is Chase. But you can call me… later tonight...” Chase got too close for comfort, licking his lips. Diedrich leaned away, his cheeks dotting pink.

“Chase, I said to  _ behave _ ,” Mademoiselle Aline snapped her hand-fan.

“Yes, yes…” Chase shrugged, giving Diedrich a wink. “Do take good care of me.” 

Chase spun away, his white dress shirt falling down his lithe frame as he did so. 

The next boy approached. He had shortish, black hair that hung in a circle around his head in tight ringlets. His skin was dark and, if Diedrich had to guess, he would say he was of African descent. He seemed like the quiet type, simply saying, “Mbali.”

Right after him, another man with the same color scheme jumped on Mbali and hung on his shoulders. “Don’t be so shy, now, Mbali!” he said. This man's hair was up in a high ponytail but he had the same tight ringlets as Mbali. “Don’t mind my brother, _ Le Chien _ . I’m Lotus. We’re both very glad to have you. That last man was a bit of a bastard, if you ask me.” Lotus whispered the last part as though Mademoiselle Aline wasn’t standing right next to Diedrich. 

“Watch it, Lotus,” Aline commented.

Lotus giggled, sticking out his tongue at her. Diedrich decided that he seemed very outgoing. 

Finally, the last performer stepped up to him. Diedrich had been curious about this man. He had given the final performance yesterday which had been, to put it bluntly, flawless. It had been like watching a butterfly flutter through rays of sunlight. If Diedrich wasn’t so tired last night, he felt like he most certainly would have been hypnotized. 

“Hello,  _ Le Chien _ ,” the man before him started, holding out his hand. “I’m Diamond.”

Diamond, as he was called, was rather blunt and seemed particularly uninterested in Diedrich. Diedrich didn’t mind that, though. As he saw it, the less he had to talk to these performers, the better. Still, Diedrich shook his hand.

As far as appearances went, all the boys were of a specific level of beauty. Diamond, however, must have set the beauty standards, since he was easily the most beautiful among them. Maybe that was why he was named Diamond. He had wavy, strikingly white hair that was cut to an elegant bob on his head. He was tall without it being intimidating and pale like freshly-fallen snow. Diedrich could’ve sworn he was actually sparkling. 

After Diamond wandered off again, Diedrich noticed him wiping the hand he’d shaken Diedrich’s with on his pants.  Diedrich couldn’t pretend he wasn’t irked by this, but he tried not to take too much offense; These performers probably had to deal with too many men as it was. 

“You met Aais, Zuzu, Leo, and Ange this morning,” Mademoiselle Aline finished, gesturing to each of the young ones respectively. “And, of course, you know Dot already.” 

“Yes, I do, thank you.” Diedrich nodded to the Mademoiselle. “It is lovely to meet you all. I look forward to working with you.” Diedrich bowed his head to them. 

“Alright,  _ Le Chien _ has a lot to go over before tonight’s show, so let’s let him get to it.” Aline clapped her hands. “Time to get back to work!”

“Yes, madam!” they all responded, some with more enthusiasm than others. And with that, the attention was turned away from Diedrich and he couldn’t be more relieved to be rid of it. 

“Alright,  _ Le Chien _ , Mr. McKnight is in the kitchen upstairs. Go on up to see him and he’ll finish your tutorial. If you have any questions, I’ll be in my office.” Mademoiselle Aline started on her way to her office but paused. “Oh, and, the lock for the front door is hidden in the big groove behind the crate. You should be strong enough to push the crate by yourself. Just make sure you block it again each time you come and go.”

“Yes, madam,” Diedrich responded and watched her walk towards the locked door that was nearest to Diedrich’s room. That must be her office. 

Diedrich glanced behind him to catch Vincent’s eye. He gestured for Diedrich to get going, meaning they would have to catch up later. 

This looked like this was going to be a lot of late nights for Diedrich. 

* * *

Once he was upstairs, he made his way to the kitchen where he could hear a strange commotion. He looked out at the bar on his way in and saw it was completely empty and closed up for the day. It  _ was _ a nighttime bar, he supposed. 

When Diedrich stepped into the doorway of the kitchen, he knocked. “Hello?” he called.

As soon as he said that, someone measly and short shot up from behind the island countertop. For such a small bar, this was certainly a big kitchen. 

“Hello!? Can you help me?” the man asked, looking very frazzled. He was covered in flour and Diedrich wondered if he could even see out of his glasses. 

“Uh, with what?” 

“I cannot find the sugar!” he cried. He seemed extremely distraught. “At this rate, I won’t be able to provide enough hors d'oeuvres for tonight’s show!”

“What?  _ You’re  _ that one who made all of those tiny things?” Diedrich could believe it—the man was as small and measly as the food he’d made. “Good sir, do you not know how to feed men!?”

“Wha—!?” 

“Those things you call hors d'oeuvres weren’t big enough to feed a mouse!” Diedrich shouted, stomping toward the tiny man, who ducked down like he was going to be attacked. “You need to bulk them up if you want to feed anyone!”

“B-but… are they not meant to… simply  _ whet _ the appetite?” The man shivered in fear. 

“ _ Nein _ ! Not if they are the only thing you serve!” Diedrich looked around the kitchen. It was a complete disaster, with dishes strewn everywhere, pots and pans piling up next to the sink, flour on the counters and floor, and countless food items scattered over the island in the center. “And look at this kitchen—no wonder you can’t find anything in here!” 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking!” he squeaked back, still crouching behind the counter. 

“Here, clean yourself up, man!” Diedrich picked the man up by the back of his chef coat’s collar. “Then we will organize this kitchen. What is your name?”

“I-I’m Chef Eric McKnight!” Eric rushed to the sink nearby and scrubbed the dough and flour from his forearms and face, manically. He rinsed his glasses in the water as well, practically dropping them in the sink as he did so. 

“McKnight, eh?” Diedrich sighed, making a beeline for the cleaning bucket in the corner. The water was a murky brown with what Diedrich assumed was food bits floating languidly within. The sight of it made Diedrich want to puke. “Well, McKnight—I was sent to get something from you, but it looks like you could use something from me instead.” 

“Wait—something from me?” Eric turned to Diedrich, shakily putting his dripping glasses back onto his face. “C-Could you be the new guard?”

“I am,” Diedrich responded. “But please don’t call me by the nickname the Mademoiselle gave me. I am Ernst Hartmann.” 

“E-Ernst Hartmann, huh?” Eric repeated as Diedrich brought the nasty bucket of ‘water’ to the sink to dump it. “Well, it’s very nice to meet you! You’re a lot more chatty than the last guard. You're just as intimidating, though!” Eric chuckled, nervously adjusting his glasses.

“Hmph. I am not so bad. It’s just my appearance that’s unpleasant, I’ve been told,” Diedrich said, ringing out the rags from the bucket. “And I am strict.” He slapped one of the rags into Eric’s chest, to which he grunted as though Diedrich had hit him. “Get cleaning, you have much to do before opening tonight.”

“Y-yes, sir!” 

After Diedrich helped clean and organize the kitchen, he gave Eric some pointers on what he should change to make the nightly menu both more nutritious and less of a challenge to make every day. Since Diedrich had to make food for Vincent a lot and didn’t have much time to waste, he knew a few recipes that were quick and hearty. He passed these on to Eric, who gratefully accepted them and replicated them with ease. 

In exchange, Eric presented Diedrich with his new uniform. It was entirely black and covered his whole face when he wore it, including his eyes. Though there was mesh for him to see out of, he suspected even Vincent wouldn’t recognize him in this. He had to say, the mask and the all-black suit when combined with Diedrich’s height and dark hair was rather… intimidating. That  _ was  _ the point, he supposed. 

He rejoined the performers downstairs once more, making sure that the bartender upstairs blocked the door again. Diedrich didn’t like very much that they were blocked in—it made red flags of danger pop up everywhere in his head. But there wasn’t much he could do to change that little problem. 

Pocketing his keys, he exited the red-curtained hall, ready to assume his position under the lamp by the bar as instructed until 21:00. But, as soon as he was visible, someone called his new nickname. 

“Oh,  _ Le Chien _ …” It was Vincent who called. Diedrich froze, turning his attention to the stage where Vincent, Ange, and Zuzu stood, as though they were waiting for him. “Could we see you for a moment?”

Diedrich could see Ange urging Vincent to stop, his face noticeably red against his pale skin. This ought to be good. 

“Yes?” Diedrich asked once he was a few feet from the stage. He crossed his arms, waiting for Vincent to explain himself. 

“Ange would like to show you something… he wondered if you’d approve?” Vincent explained. 

They couldn’t see it, but Diedrich’s face twisted in disgust. There was no way he wanted to see this  _ little boy  _ do the things that Vincent was doing last night. “Probably not.”

“Awh, c’mon,  _ Le Chien _ , he’s worked very hard…,” Zuzu pointed out. Ange was as red as an apple. He looked more disappointed than embarrassed by the second, like he would cry if Diedrich didn’t approve. 

Diedrich tutted, not understanding why this was up to him. “Fine, show me.”

Vincent smiled, slyly. “Pull up a chair, then.” 

* * *

Diedrich had to mentally prepare himself for whatever it was he was about to see. Zuzu remained on stage with Ange, possibly there to spot him on whatever it was that he was doing with the pole. 

Slowly, Ange pulled himself up on the pole, using his thighs to keep a grip on it. 

Zuzu encouraged him, quietly. “That’s it… nice and easy… you’ve got it…”

Slowly, Ange adjusted his grip to make sure it was secure. 

“I’ve been showing him a few things,” Vincent’s voice whispered in Diedrich’s ear, making him jump. 

“Geez, Phantomhive!” Diedrich hissed, returning to his original position. 

“Shh, Dee, just watch.”

Vincent showing a child a ‘few things’?  _ Definitely suspicious. _ Nevertheless, Diedrich kept his gaze on Ange. 

“Okay, you’ve got your grip?” Zuzu reached up, supporting the back of Ange’s neck. Ange nodded. “Right, nice and slow now…”

With ease, Ange laid all the way back, using only his hands to keep him up on the pole. He gasped a little as his balance shifted, but Zuzu was right there to keep him in check. 

“Alright, keep your grip now… nice and easy, Ange,” Vincent also chimed in with some encouraging words. “Trust your hands, they can hold you.”

Diedrich watched as Ange gingerly unfurled his legs until they were in a full split, then he went beyond. His legs looked like a bow pulled taunt. Diedrich was aghast. 

“Quite the flexible little thing, isn’t he?” Vincent commented. 

“You did it!” Zuzu was so excited that he clapped to congratulate Ange. Ange, just as slowly as he’d moved before, flipped down, landed on his feet, and turned to face Diedrich. He made a meek ‘ta-da’ pose and Diedrich couldn’t help but smile. Good thing he was wearing that mask. 

“It—that was incredible. Well done,” Diedrich praised, clapping shortly. Ange smiled shyly and then turned away from Diedrich, giggling with Zuzu, excitedly.

Diedrich stood up from his chair. “Dot, may I have a word?”

“Oh?” Diedrich grabbed Vincent by the arm, yanking him out of the main area and down the hall of rooms. 

When they were out of earshot, Diedrich said, “Are you out of your mind?”

“Don’t be mad, Dee, it’s just a bit of fun,” Vincent shrugged. 

“‘Fun’? He’s a child—he should be outside, playing in the fields.  _ That’s  _ fun.” Diedrich snapped, lifting his mask to show Vincent how serious he was. 

“I know, I know, Dee.” Vincent crossed his arms, his body language telling Diedrich he was not very happy that Diedrich, for once, was right. “But once we’re done here, this place won’t be around anymore. He’ll be out playing in the fields in no time.”

“Who will?” A voice suddenly sounded from behind them. It was Diamond, who had just come out of his room. He had one of the show outfits on, his exposed skin stunningly bright even in the dim light of the basement. 

Neither Vincent nor Diedrich responded. Diamond stopped in front of them. “Shouldn’t you be at your post,  _ Le Chien _ ? Move, you’re in the way.”

“Yes,” Diedrich responded, flipping his mask back down and stepping out of the hall, stiffly. He watched as Diamond looked Vincent up and down with disgust. 

“Dot,” he said, curtly, enunciating the ‘t’.

“Diamond,” Vincent watched Diamond strut away from him. Before he was completely within view of the main hall, Diamond stopped and looked back at Vincent. 

“You may be good for a rookie, but you will  _ never  _ take my spot at the top. I  _ made  _ this show. And I won’t let some  _ street urchin _ take it away,” Diamond threatened. 

“Don’t worry, dear… I’m sure you have nothing to worry about,” Vincent responded, the smile on his face fake but convincing.

Diamond left then with a huff and a flick of his hair. 

“Pleasant, isn’t he?” Vincent commented. “He’s been like that since I got here. So  _ very  _ keen on stomping on the other performers to keep his spotlight.”

Diedrich watched Diamond snap at the young ones on the stage, scaring them off. “Do you think he could be...?”

Vincent shrugged. “It’s possible. Although, I have yet to see any suspicious behavior.” 

It was then that Vincent looked at Diedrich with a glint in his eye. “What do you think of him?”

Diedrich’s brow dropped in suspicion. Vincent never really asked for his thoughts on others before. Was this a test? “I think that he needs to work on his manners.”

Vincent smiled at this, “Anything else?”

Again, Diedrich was confused. “ _ Nein. _ If you’re trying to get at something, be straight about it. I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Vincent moved toward his room. “Anyway, we’ll discuss it later. I need to go change. Get to your post, now, Le Chien… I’ll see you later tonight.”

Diedrich took a deep breath. He definitely wasn’t prepared for what was in store on stage that night.

* * *

Once Diedrich had let all the gentlemen in at precisely 21:00, he took to his post once more, watching the crowd through his mask. The mask, he found, was very convenient to keep his gaze hidden from the members of this secret society. 

Diedrich had already had his eye on a few suspicious characters. There was a man who wore a peacock mask—he was boisterous and far too excited to be there. Another was a rather quiet man who sat by himself, sipping away at his champagne. He seemed to simply be here for the show, not to socialize or anything else. The man who sat alone wore a purple and gold mask that covered his eyes.

The last one that Diedrich had an eye on was a man hanging around the back of the hall, near the curtains. He was quite certain that this was one of the men who had praised him last night for winning the fight. He had on a mask in the shape of an owl, the same one he had worn the night before. 

He must have seen Diedrich looking because he raised his glass to him. Diedrich quickly turned his head away. 

The rest of the men in the main hall just seemed like dime-a-dozen perverts who only wished to watch a show before scampering back to their wives. Nothing in particular was of note, other than the nausea Diedrich felt as he watched them. 

Once this was over, he  _ never  _ wanted to do something like this again. 

Just then, someone flicked the curtains to the red hall open and entered. Now, this man Diedrich recognized immediately. Not only was he wearing the same mask, but he also had the same frenzied demeanor as when he left in a fit last night, painted with jealousy after Vincent had greeted Diedrich. Diedrich worried that this man may have taken a liking to Vincent, seeing as he was new meat at the Lion’s Den.

This man was on the top of the watch list now. 

Diedrich—distracted—didn’t notice that the owl-masked man had made a beeline for him. “Good evening. Hartmann, was it?”

Diedrich stiffened, knowing he wasn’t supposed to talk to the customers. “It’s _ Le Chien _ , now.”

From what Diedrich could see of the owl-man’s face, he looked surprised. Then, he laughed cheerily, placing one of his hands on Diedrich’s shoulder. Diedrich was getting tired of people touching him. “They named ye Dog, eh? That’s unfortunate. Especially when ye already had a name like Hartmann to begin with,” owl-man said. 

Diedrich was tempted to ask if the owl man knew German, but he knew it would be best if he kept his mouth shut. 

“Well, I won’t keep ye long, then,  _ Le Chien _ ,” owl-man continued, taking his hand away from Diedrich and taking a sip of his drink. “I just wanted to let ye know that I truly appreciate what ye did last night. I can rest a little easier knowing that these boys are being protected by a man with honor.”

“What?” Diedrich couldn’t help but ask. “You’re saying you know he abused them?”

“Oh, yeah, anyone with half a brain could see that,” Owl man responded. It was then that the lights dimmed, indicating that the show was about to begin. “How about we chat more later? After the show.”

Diedrich did not respond, mostly because it didn’t seem like a question. His gaze moved to the stage where Mademoiselle Aline was announcing the first performer. But his brain was elsewhere. Who was this man in the owl mask? And what else could he possibly know?

* * *

After the show, several interventions from Diedrich between the customers and the kittens, and Diedrich having to sit through seeing Vincent show off everything on stage once again (he closed his eyes through most of it), the members of the Lion’s Den finally left. On his way out, the owl-man discreetly passed Diedrich a little piece of paper. Diedrich accepted it without making an outward indication that he had received it. 

One thing that Diedrich took note of was that the man on the top of his watchlist was nowhere in the group as they left.  _ Maybe he left earlier after Vincent’s performance? _ He wasn’t sure. But one thing Diedrich  _ did _ know for sure was that he would double-check Vincent’s room tonight.

When the last of the drunk, giddy bastards were out the door, Diedrich shut it and locked it. He listened as the barman outside slid the crate in front of the door before he descended the stairs back into the now-sweltering main hall. 

The mademoiselle was wrapping up the night with a review of the dancers’ performances. 

“As usual, you all shone like stars tonight,” she started as Diedrich returned to his spot against the wall, watching. “Diamond—as radiant as ever, my dear. Lotus and Mbali—you two positively blossomed! Chase—I could not take my eyes off you,” Aline smiled sweetly, her pride evident. 

Then, she stopped at Vincent, “And Dot…” Aline stopped to gaze at him for a moment. “...you are climbing up the ranks rather quickly. Your performance tonight was exquisite. Keep up the good work.”

Vincent bowed.

Diedrich watched Diamond, who shot a dirty look at Mademoiselle Aline. Diedrich couldn’t suppress an insolent smile. Once again, he was grateful for the mask. 

“I expect you all to keep outdoing yourselves again and again,” she concluded. “ _ Bonne nuit _ .” She snapped her fan in the same way she had before, and the boys immediately disbanded. Diedrich quickly walked ahead of them to check their rooms like he was supposed to, but Aline stopped him.

“ _ Le Chien _ ,” she said, approaching him. “I will be in my office for tonight, calculating this week's earnings, so I trust you will put everyone to bed, safe and sound. Afterward I will head out. I won’t be back until the morning.” 

Diedrich nodded. “You can count on me, miss.”

“Good.” 

Diedrich watched her sashay toward her office, bidding the servants and musicians who were packing up a good night as she did so. This was good—after Diedrich checked everyone’s rooms, maybe he and Vincent would have some time to talk privately. 

Diedrich checked Diamond’s room first, who was the farthest down the hall. Before he could even give the ‘all-clear,’ Diamond pushed past him and slammed the door shut. Diedrich rolled his eyes, locking the door and moving on to the room next door. 

“No one’s in that room anymore, silly,” Chase interfered by grabbing Diedrich’s hand and pulling it away from the door. “They’re  _ gone… _ ” 

“Right,” Diedrich responded, his eyes remaining on the door that ‘no one’ was in anymore.  _ Was that where one of the boys who died used to sleep? _

Chase dragged Diedrich down another door. “Here’s mine—check it.” Chase released Diedrich’s hand and Diedrich tried not to look as Chase licked his fingers suggestively after. He opened the door and looked inside. Upon seeing no one there, he nodded to Chase. “Thanks, darling. I feel safer already.”

Diedrich felt a chill crawl up his spine. He was not entertained at all by Chase’s antics. Before Chase shut the door fully, he left it open wide enough to say, “Come visit me, would you?”

“ _ Nein _ .” Diedrich pulled the door shut. He could hear Chase whine behind it. Diedrich made sure he locked that door securely so he wouldn’t get one particularly unwelcome visitor in the middle of the night. 

Next came Mbali and Lotus. Both of their rooms were clear, and Lotus gave Diedrich a pleasant “Good night!” before Diedrich shut and locked his door. 

Diedrich turned and saw that Vincent was nowhere to be seen. Then, he heard a commotion coming from the younger boys’ room. They had the biggest room, which resided behind the dressing room. Diedrich sighed, walking to the backroom to retrieve Vincent. 

When he walked in, he saw something that made him pause and linger outside the door. Vincent was kneeling on the floor, looking under the bed of the youngest boy, Aais, as he stood idly by. 

“See, Aais, there’s nothing there,” Vincent said, sitting up and resting on his feet. “There are no such things as monsters. Especially not when  _ Le Chien’s _ here. He’ll protect you, just like he protects me.”

“You promise?” Aais still looked worried and Vincent stroked his dark, curly hair. 

“I do,” Vincent responded with a gentle smile on his face. Diedrich could be wrong, but he thought the smile looked… genuine. It had been a while since Diedrich last saw a smile like that on Vincent. Sure, the man was always smiling, but that was just a front—a fake exterior that reminded Diedrich of looking through a piece of glass, gazing at a shining jewel you could never get close enough to touch. 

When he truly smiled, though… there was such natural beauty in it. It could take your breath away. 

“Isn’t that right,  _ Le Chien _ ?” Vincent looked behind himself at the door and Diedrich’s heart jolted. How did he know he was there?

Diedrich, having been found out, entered the room with a clear of his throat. “Yes, that’s right.”

The boys gasped in excitement. 

“ _ Le Chien _ !” Aais lit up in a sweet grin as Diedrich removed his mask. 

“Good evening,” Diedrich said, sitting down in a nearby chair. Vincent gazed at Diedrich with a glint in his eye—as he often did. “Uhm, can I ask you boys a question?”

“Yes!”

“Of course!” they responded. 

“How old are you all?” 

Ange started by saying, “I’m fourteen, sir.”

Then, Leo picked up the question. “I’m fifteen, Zuzu’s twelve, and Aais is ten.” 

“My birthday is next month, though!” Aais added on with pride. 

“Well, you’ll be all grown up then, won’t you?” Vincent joked, poking Aais in the belly. Aais giggled.

“ _ No! _ ” he insisted. “I’ll only be grown-up when I’m  _ Leo’s _ age!”

“And what does that make  _ Le Chien _ and me? Already close to our graves?” Vincent pointed out. The boys laughed, but no one gave a definite answer. Aais got into his bed—one he was surely growing out of since his feet hung off the end. Leo and Zuzu were sharing a bunk bed, while Ange had his own bed on the opposing wall. 

Diedrich rubbed the bridge of his nose. He didn’t know how Vincent could make jokes at a time like this, but these kids needed reassurance and comfort. If Vincent was going to be the comfort, Diedrich decided it was his place to offer reassurance. 

“Are you boys happy here?” Diedrich started, looking between the boys in the room. 

“Uhm, I suppose so,” Aais responded.

“We’re happier now that you’re here!” Ange chimed in. Diedrich chuckled a bit. 

“That’s good.” He sniffed, leaning forward on his knees. “I will be here for you, okay? So, uh… you don’t have to worry about… erm…  _ monsters _ under your bed or anything like that.”

“I  _ already _ feel better!” Zuzu responded, sitting up in his bed. “You warded off the customers’ nasty hands a lot better than Gage used to.”

“Yeah! You’re amazing!” Ange added. 

“It is just my job.”

“ _ Le Chien _ is very modest,” Vincent piped in, standing up and brushing off his knees. “He is a loyal guard dog you all can trust. Now, it is about time we should be going to bed. Otherwise, Mademoiselle Aline will get mad.” Vincent winked, putting a finger over his lips. “Let’s keep this conversation a secret, shall we? Maybe we can talk more tomorrow night.” 

“Yeah!” Zuzu cheered. Vincent stepped over to the side table between the beds and blew out two of the candles on the candelabra, significantly dimming the room. 

“Can you leave one on?” Aais asked before they were all blown out, and Vincent did just that. 

“Have a good rest now, boys,” Vincent said. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”

With a chorus of goodnights, Vincent led the way out with Diedrich following right behind him. Vincent shut the door and Diedrich leaned down to lock it.

“These children need freedom,” Diedrich intoned, quietly. 

“Yes, you’re quite right,” Vincent responded in a whisper. They made their way back to the hall for the older performers where Vincent entered his room and Diedrich followed behind him. 

Vincent approached his side table and lit a match to light his candle, illuminating the little room. “You did well today.”

“ _ Ja, ja _ . Give me the candle,” Diedrich responded, impatiently.

Vincent looked surprised, turning to Diedrich with the candle. “Why, Dee! Giving me commands? You’re getting a little too used to your new position…”

Diedrich scoffed. “Whatever. Just—please?”

Vincent passed him the candle and Diedrich got down on his hands and knees to check under Vincent’s bed. 

“Any monsters?” Vincent asked, his arms crossed. 

“It’s not the monsters I’m worried about.”

“And what is it that you’re worried about?” 

“There was… a man here tonight,” Diedrich began explaining, grunting as he stood back up, satisfied seeing as there was no stranger under the bed. “He seems to have taken a deep interest in you.”

“Oh, jealous?” Vincent teased, snatched the candle back from Diedrich, and put it back on the side table. 

“No, I’m not—” Diedrich started to defend, but realized he didn’t have to. He sighed and said instead, “He was not in the crowd when the customers left tonight. I thought he might have  _ slipped in _ when my attention was elsewhere.” 

“Oh, I see,” Vincent looked thoughtful. “Is he the man who sits near the front, doesn’t drink, and has a nervous twitch?”

“Yes, I think so,” Diedrich responded. “He’s got a bit of an obsession with you.”

“Ah, well, it can’t be helped.” Vincent took off one of his bracelets. “In this line of business, I reckon there are a lot of men like him.”

Diedrich grunted. 

“Anything else to report?” 

“ _ Ja. _ Another man, who appears to be a regular, slipped me a note.” Diedrich pulled it out of his pocket. 

“Let’s see, then.” Vincent sat down, patting the bed next to him for Diedrich to do the same. He obliged, passing Vincent the little slip of paper.

Vincent made quick work to unfold it. Diedrich leaned over him to read what it said. 

> _ Meet me in the alley behind the bar tomorrow night after the show. - J.R. _

“He left an initial, but not his full name,” Diedrich pointed out. Vincent remained quiet for a moment longer, a thoughtful hand on his chin. He flipped the card over to check if there was anything on the other side but found nothing.

Vincent stood and approached his side table again. Diedrich watched as he burnt the note in the candle. 

“Ph-Phantomhive!?” Diedrich stood, startled by this action. 

“Can’t have Mademoiselle Aline catching us with this,” Vincent relayed, letting the ashes drop to the floor. He stomped on the pile, then scattered them. “This man is clearly with the Yard.”

“The Yard?” Diedrich wouldn’t have thought that of the owl man, but it would make sense. Why would a member of this secret society care about what happened to the performers unless he was an outsider?

“Yes, Dee,” Vincent said, “I’m not sure if I will be able to meet with you, but we’ll have to see. If not, see that you get his information and what he’s doing here.”

“I suspect he’s here to find the missing nobles,” Diedrich commented, crossing his arms. 

“It could be.” Vincent shrugged nonchalantly. He was in a mood that made it hard for Diedrich to read him precisely, but clearly, he was holding something back that he wasn’t going to tell Diedrich. “Anyway, Dee, could you help me out of this?”

Diedrich paused for a beat, blinking slowly. “What?”

“This! It’s hard to get off by myself,” Vincent whined, feeling along the back of the corset-like top he was wearing but failing to reach the strings. The top itself didn’t even cover Vincent’s full torso, the high arches on either side exposing the skin on his slender hips as well as enunciating them.

Diedrich knew he was pretending. Diedrich knew Vincent could  _ very  _ easily get that thing off by himself. But Diedrich also knew that if he refused, Vincent would force him to do it anyway, possibly leading to one of the ‘punishments’ Vincent put him through in college when he refused to do something. And that was utterly embarrassing than helping Vincent out of a silly corset. 

Without saying anything and making sure to keep his jaw firmly set, Diedrich stepped forward and began untying the strings of Vincent’s top.

It was quiet as he did so, neither of them saying a word. With every loop that Diedrich untied and every new inch of Vincent’s back that was exposed, the more Diedrich could feel his heart pounding. And the louder it got, the more Diedrich worried Vincent would hear it. This type of thing used to happen a lot, but, because of the year they’d gone without one another, Diedrich was out of practice. He had done his best to hide it, but he knew that Vincent knew. 

The feelings Diedrich had for Vincent started off as a little flutter of the heart every now and then—since Diedrich was not as good of an actor as Vincent was, his emotions were very easy to pick up on. Back before these feelings didn’t mean as much to Diedrich, Vincent used to tease him about them. But when the feelings became stronger—when they grew harder for Diedrich to control—Vincent stopped his teasing. And that was when he started making requests of Diedrich that were almost too much for his heart to bear. This moment was definitely one of them. 

Diedrich couldn’t stop his gaze from wandering all over Vincent’s bare back. He had a number of beauty marks and moles there that Diedrich had seen countless other times, but it felt different seeing them in the dim light of a little room with only the two of them and a bed. Looking, however, was as far as Diedrich  _ dared  _ to go. Vincent’s body felt... sacred. Like a forbidden piece of perfectly polished porcelain that would shatter to the touch. Diedrich never considered himself delicate enough to handle it. 

“Dee…” Vincent’s voice cut through the silence. Diedrich knew he had finished undoing his top a while ago, but he hadn’t let go of the strings yet. He clung to them as his heart clung to Vincent’s, grieving for something that was never his—longing for something he should have relinquished long ago.

Diedrich cleared his throat, finally letting the bustier’s strings drop. “I will… uhm… I will retire now. I’ll have to lock your door, but… ring the bell if you need anything.”

“I will.” Vincent’s eyes were on him (in a gaze Diedrich did not dare to meet) as he held up his top and turned around. 

Diedrich took a deep breath, shook his head, and made his exit. Vincent watched him leave all the while, his expression puzzled but sober. 

When Diedrich was back in his room, he threw the black mask onto the chair in the corner of the room and loosened his shirt as he slammed down onto the creaky bed, his head in his hands. 

“Pull yourself together, dammit!” Diedrich said to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He had thought he was long over this. He had thought he could put it behind him. He had thought he could be content with being Vincent's friend. But still, his heart reached for something more that it could not attain. 

Diedrich’s chest was on fire and his head was pounding with the sound of his heartbeat. He started repetitively counting over and over to stave off his thoughts that would only make his pain worse. “ _ Eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf… eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf…” _

He could not cry. He couldn’t remember the last time he had. Maybe when he was a baby. But crying was not fit for a German noble. That habit had been forced out of him from birth. So he found other ways of coping, lest his feelings completely swallow him whole. Counting helped him calm down—reorganize his mind. 

Diedrich laid down but was awake for the majority of the night. It was only when sheer emotional exhaustion had consumed him that he drifted away. He decided then that he hated being in England and never wanted to return after this. It would be best for his health if he didn’t. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :'( Poor Dee again... I also have it bad for Vincent! Simping is not a crime, but it sure feels like it...
> 
> Next chapter coming as soon as I get around to it! Still need to do some editing to it. 
> 
> Bye for now!!


	3. His Butler, Encumbered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year's Eve!! This chapter gets a little saucy with Diedrich and a special some one ~ 
> 
> New tags added new chapter added—let's charge into 2021 with smut!

The next day came as the last did, only this time Diedrich let the performers out himself in the morning. Among the crowd that night, Diedrich did not see the jealous man. He had not returned—or he never left. Diedrich wanted to do a whole sweep of the place before he put the boys into their rooms tonight, but he’d have to get permission from Mademoiselle Aline; it would look suspicious if he did it by himself. 

That plan, however, was going to be difficult. In a rush, the mademoiselle left early, saying that she had urgent business to take care of and that it couldn’t wait. She left Diedrich in charge of everything—a power he was unsure of what to do with. The show was not over yet by the time Aline left, so Diedrich would have to escort everyone out and then address the performers. 

This was going to be rough. 

Once everyone was lined up on stage, Diamond asked, “Where’s Mademoiselle Aline?”

“She, uh…” Diedrich cleared his throat forcefully. “She had to step out early tonight. Said there was something important she needed to do that could not wait. She left me in charge.”

“Ooh, in that case, can we have free rein for a bit?” Chase asked, raising his hand. “Maybe a little party to celebrate?”

“Uh…” Diedrich was not sure that was his call. 

“You can’t just ask so much of the man, he’s new,” Lotus chimed in, giving Chase a look. 

“Why else would I be asking him?”

“Alright, everyone, let’s not go raving mad just from the absence of the Mademoiselle.” Vincent stepped in. “I think it is fair that we have some free time, seeing as it’s both past midnight and _technically_ our day off. But we all still have to listen to _Le Chien_ since Aline put him in charge.”

“You’re only speaking for him since you were friends. Why should we listen to him? He’s barely been here three days,” Diamond countered. “I say that we deserve the rest of the night off and that there’s nothing _Le Chien_ can say about it.”

At this, Diedrich became quite defensive. “Not listen to me, eh? What will happen when the Mademoiselle comes back and finds you all missing or a wreck?”

“She’ll take it out on the new guard who was in charge.” Diamond giggled, a wicked grin on his face. Diedrich furrowed his brow, hoping to look somewhat intimidating, but Diamond wasn’t backing down.

“Diamond, _Le Chien_ is our new bodyguard. He’s here to protect us, so shouldn’t we at least let him… set some boundaries?” Ange piped in quietly. Diedrich was starting to think of Ange as his favorite. 

Diamond side-eyed Ange, but didn’t look directly at him. 

“Yeah, that should be fine, right?” Aais joined in, looking up at Diamond with his sparkling dark brown eyes. “ _Le Chien_ makes all of us feel safer…”

Diamond scoffed, turned his gaze away from the younger boys, and crossed his arms. “Fine. But we all have to agree to them.” 

“Right.” Diedrich thought for a moment. “How about keeping it within the proximity of the Lion’s Den? You may get some night air, but don’t go further than the front door. You may be out of your rooms until I call for lights out. If you wish to go outside, you must ask for my permission, and I’ll tell the bartender upstairs to keep an eye on you so you don’t wander off. Remember that you have your day off tomorrow as well, so you should think about getting some sleep before that. Does that sound fair?”

The group talked among itself for a moment before Diamond spoke to everyone's piece. “Fine.” He intoned.

“ _Gut_ ,” Diedrich said. “Now that we’re clear, you are dismissed.”

Diedrich returned to his post. This free time could be a good excuse for him to sneak out back to meet with the owl man. But if he left the building, it also meant that he wouldn’t know where all the performers were. Diedrich took a deep breath, thinking so deeply that he didn’t notice when someone approached him. 

“ _Le Chien_ , I want to go out and get some night air.” It was Diamond. He had a robe over his performing clothes. Shortly after he said this, Diedrich saw Vincent exit his room in his robe as well. 

“I think… I can do that…”

“I sure hope so.” Diamond flipped his hair, starting on his way past Diedrich when Vincent stopped him in his tracks. 

“Going out?” Vincent said, tying up his robe. “I wanted to do the same thing.”

“Ugh, you can wait your turn,” Diamond responded, continuing on his way. “C’mon, _Le Chien_.”

“What, we can't go out at the same time?” Vincent asked, stopping Diamond again. 

“I don’t want to be breathing near you—there would be no fresh air.”

“Well, there must be a way to resolve this.” Vincent looked at Diedrich, expectantly. Diamond did the same. 

“Uhm…” Diedrich looked at Vincent who looked like he was trying to silently get Diedrich to do something. Diedrich thought for a moment, trying to make his thoughts come faster, then he had a realization. If they didn’t want to be in the same location as each other, then Diedrich would have to walk Vincent around back. “Fine, Diamond you stay up front. Dot, I will take you out, but, since Diamond wants to be alone, I will walk you to the back. You have to stay under my supervision. We will be out there for no more than ten minutes, got it?”

Diamond huffed angrily. “Fine, fine. Can we just go? I want to smoke. I haven’t done it in ages.” He held up a pre-rolled cigarette and matches. 

Diedrich nodded, more than satisfied with this solution. 

* * *

When they were all up and Diedrich locked the door to the basement, he talked to the barman and then walked the two performers out. As Diedrich and Vincent made their way to the back where the designated meeting point was, it was pitch black out, save for a street lamp just above the Lion’s Den. 

Sure enough, there was an alley behind the bar. And when Diedrich and Vincent rounded the corner, there was the owl man, sitting on a crate waiting for them with a lamp. He didn’t have his owl mask this time, seeing as he had to surrender it at the door, but he did wear a mask made of simple black cloth.

“Oh, there ye are.” He jumped down from the crate. “I thought ye might have missed my note.” The owl man paused upon seeing Vincent. “Who’s this, then? Dot, right?”

“Yes, that would be me,” Vincent replied, carefully. “Mr. Hartmann told me that you wanted to meet with him. He’s a good friend of mine, you see. A partner, if you will.”

“‘Partner’? Are ye two private investigators?” the owl man asked. 

“Something of the sort,” Vincent responded. 

“What did you want to meet with me about?” Diedrich demanded. They didn’t have much time to waste on idle chit-chat.

“Ah, that. Well,” The owl man started, looking between Diedrich and Vincent. “Seeing as ye came out of nowhere and got rid of the biggest wall between me and my investigation, I thought I’d like to befriend ye and see if we can’t work together. Lucky for me, ye two seem to be in the same boat as I.”

“So you _are_ investigating,” Vincent observed, “What exactly are you looking into? Are these police matters?”

“Oh, god, no! I’m not with the Yard.” He scoffed. “My name is Jalen Reed, I’m a private investigator looking into the disappearance of a certain noble on behalf of my client.”

“What a strange coincidence. We’re working on behalf of a client as well.” Vincent smiled, putting a finger on his chin. Diedrich eyed him, watching the calculating gears turn in his head. He could tell Vincent was planning something, but he didn’t know what.

“I see. Well, as I said earlier, maybe we can work together.” 

“We can. Why don’t you tell us what you know, and we can get our facts in order.” Vincent pointed a languid finger toward Reed. “Hartmann and I haven’t been able to find out much just yet—we’ve only just started.”

“Yes, well, ye can’t learn much from just a few days.” Reed had a satisfied smile on his face. Diedrich immediately recognized the gullible idiocy of someone who hadn’t been exposed to Vincent for long enough. Diedrich would know because he used to be the same way. As he’d learned, Vincent only complimented when he wanted something out of you. “But, I’m sure with ye on the inside, we’ll learn a lot more.

“Right, I've personally witnessed Mademoiselle Aline speak to one of the noblemen who went missing,” Reed said, crossing his arms as though that was meant to impress them.

“That’s all? I could have told you that.” Vincent pretended to look disappointed. Then, he turned away. “Well, if that’s all you know, then I guess this was a waste of our time. Let’s go, Ernie.”

“Wait, wait! Of course, that’s not all!” Reed held out a hand in protest. Vincent paused with a smile on his face only Diedrich could see. “Ye didn’t let me finish! See, after she talked with him, they went into her office together. He didn’t come back out after that.”

Vincent and Diedrich shared a look. That certainly sounded plausible. 

“I have reason to believe there is some sort of hidden tunnel under the Lion’s Den, but I don’t know where it lets out,” Reed explained, brushing his fingers through his hair, looking a little less excited to share his information now that Vincent had doubted him.

“A hidden tunnel, hm?” Vincent echoed. “What makes you think that?” 

“Well, for one, Aline is the only one who's ever gone in and come back out again. She keeps it locked, but I followed her when she went in there once. I felt under the door and there was a strange breeze that was unnatural for a basement,” Reed continued. He put a hand to his chin. “Other than that, there’s nothing solid. It’s just intuition.”

“You certainly have an intriguing intuition,” Vincent smirked at him, putting a hand on his hip. Diedrich looked at his watch. He needed to get back to Diamond. They didn’t have much more time.

“Err… Dot. We’re out of time,” Diedrich said. 

Vincent held up one of his fingers, not saying anything. “We’ll see if we can look into it. Is there anything else that you think is important for us to know?”

“I’d watch out for Diamond. He seems the type to be in on this sort of thing.” 

“ _Ja_ , we gathered that one,” Diedrich interrupted before Vincent could say any more. He took Vincent’s arm and started to drag him away. “Let’s talk again another time.” 

“‘Right, then. Let me know! Good night!” Reed called after them. 

Neither of them responded. Diedrich continued to drag Vincent away from the alleyway, a little roughly. 

“Dee… Dee!” Vincent got his attention by wrenching his arm away. “What’s wrong?” 

“We were gone too long. I’m worried Diamond might have left,” Diedrich explained. “That man, too… He’s not with the Yard, so I don’t trust him.”

“Just because he’s not with the Yard doesn’t mean his intel is tainted.” 

“I’m sure the information is fine,” Diedrich responded, turning to continue toward the front of the Lion’s Den. “We’ll just have to check it.”

Vincent sighed, “Dear Ol’ Dee, do you trust anyone?” 

“No. Least of all you.” 

At this, Vincent laughed. “I suppose you’re right not to. But at least trust that I know what I’m doing.”

When he said this, he caught up to Diedrich and attached himself to his arm as they rounded the corner to the front of the bar. 

Immediately, Diamond’s eyes were on them. Nearly through with his cigarette, he squinted at the two of them. He dropped the rolled-up piece of paper and stamped it out with a huff. “Did you two have a good fuck?” 

Diedrich was taken aback by this, his face turning bright pink. 

“Whatever are you on about now, Diamond?” Vincent smirked, his expression sneaky. “Jealous?”

“Ha! Hardly,” Diamond scoffed, looking away. “Let’s just go back inside. It’s not like I care.” 

“Don’t you?” Vincent slipped inside with one last quick glance at Diedrich who was still stunned by the implications of this conversation. Diedrich looked toward Diamond, trying to regain his composure.

“I’m sorry, he’s always like that—“

“I know,” Diamond interrupted with a sigh. He looked Diedrich up and down, his long pale lashes fluttering. “You weren’t really fucking, then?”

Diedrich still found himself tongue-tied at the vulgarity of the subject. Still, he tried to get something out. “N-no, we do not—will _never_ —“

“‘Never’?” Diamond stopped him, his curiosity piqued. “I’ll be damned, you two seem as thick as thieves.” 

“Actually, n-no… uh, Dot, mostly keeps to himself.” Diedrich shook his head, coming out of his daze. He put his mask on again and opened the door to the Lion’s Den. 

“What was his real name?” Diamond asked, curious, as he followed behind Diedrich. 

“I can’t say,” Diedrich responded, nodding to the bartender as he made his way toward the back. The bartender followed behind them to block the door. He must have already let Vincent in. 

Diamond hummed in response. “Is it because you don’t know or because you’re forbidden from sharing it?”

“Would you like to tell me _your_ real name?” Diedrich responded, pushing the crate away and opening the door. 

“Hm, I suppose not.” Diamond continued to follow Diedrich. “But it’s strange—if you’re not together, why are you two so close?”

“We’re simply business partners.”

“Business? What business?”

Diedrich cringed. Wrong words. “Nothing. I just used the wrong word.”

“I don’t think you did.” Diamond grabbed Diedrich’s arm, stopping him. “What are you two hiding?” 

Diedrich turned toward him, yanking his arm away. “It’s not your concern! I don’t know what you’re so interested in all of a sudden. Didn’t you say it didn’t matter to you?”

Before Diamond could respond, someone started calling for Diedrich. 

“ _Le Chien! Le Chien_ , come quick!” It was the voice of Leo. 

Diedrich, immediately forgetting the heated conversation he was just in the middle of, rushed down the rest of the stairs and out into the sitting area, Leo meeting him there. “What’s wrong!?”

“Something’s going on in Chase’s room! We heard him yell, but he won’t open the door,” Leo cried. Diedrich immediately ran for Chase’s room, pulling out his keys. He urged the performers gathered around Chase’s door to move. 

He shoved the key into the lock and wrenched the door open. He was horrified to see what was waiting inside.

The same man that disappeared the night before—the one who was so focused on Vincent—was hovering over Chase, his hands clasped tightly around Chase's throat. It also looked as though the man had taken advantage of Chase, whose pants were yanked down and Chase’s uniform was ripped open on the bottom, exposing his privates that looked like they had been brutalized somehow. The whole image made Diedrich's stomach twist.

Diedrich hurled himself at the monster, throwing him away from Chase whose breath returned to him with a violent, wet gasp. 

Diedrich slammed his fist into the creeper’s face, receiving a loud grunt in return. The man collapsed to the floor and Diedrich stood over him, his fist raised at the ready. 

He was enraged, grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt and reeling his fist back again. Every time Diedrich hit him, his hand came back bloodier than before. He was naturally protective, but at that moment, he couldn’t stop imagining such a thing happening to Vincent—if this man had actually gotten a hold of his true prey. The thought alone was more than Diedrich could stand. 

Diedrich didn’t know how long he was pulverizing the pervert, but it was Vincent's gentle touch that finally stopped him. “That’s enough.” 

Diedrich paused, huffing like a beast as his gaze landed on Vincent. Then, his eyes traveled to the other performers, gazing at him in terror. 

Diedrich’s fists dropped. He looked down at them. He couldn’t tell what was his blood and what wasn’t. The hand that hadn’t yet healed from his fight with Gage had started bleeding once again.

At some point, Chase was able to stand up and stagger his way over to stand beside Diedrich. With the last of his strength, he kicked the man on the floor. Lotus and Leo rushed in to support him as Chase spat on him. “Serves you right,” Chase croaked out. Lotus and Leo guided him out of the room. 

“He will see justice,” Vincent reminded everyone. 

“How? The Yard doesn’t give a shit about us,” Diamond countered. “He’s a nobleman. _Le Chien_ almost killed him. If anything, _he’s_ the one in trouble.”

“I didn’t say anything about the Yard,” Vincent responded coldly. He turned his attention back to Diedrich, who was still standing over the degenerate’s limp, bloody body. “ _Le Chien_ , let’s move the body. We’ll tie him up and leave him for Mademoiselle Aline in the morning. She’ll know what to do.”

Without a word, Diedrich did as he was told, letting Vincent handle the rest. 

“Everyone, I think we should be off to bed now. Especially the little ones,” Vincent announced. “ _Le Chien_ will be around to check on you, but for now just go to your rooms. Everything will be righted tomorrow. Understood?”

Everyone except Diamond responded with a ‘yes’ and did as they were told. Diamond too, complied, even if he didn’t respond. With one last look toward Diedrich, Vincent went to the dressing room where Chase was being tended, leaving Diedrich to finish up with the intruder. 

Diedrich let his mind wander, refusing to think about what had just occurred. With the way he beat the man, he must have looked like a psychopath. Maybe, when it came to Vincent, Diedrich _was_. That untouchable man had control over him in more ways than one, and Diedrich was shocked to only realize this now. It made him want to escape somehow—go back to Germany and never answer another call from Vincent. But Diedrich couldn't do that even if he should and that thought alone was enough to shake him to his core.

* * *

With everything quiet, the intruder tied up, and Chase nursed to sleep, Diedrich locked everyone’s rooms without a word (not even to Vincent) and went to his chambers. 

There, he removed his dark clothing all the way down to his undergarments and dress shirt and laid down. His room was dark—he hadn’t lit the candle yet, but the moon shone brightly through the basement window. 

Diedrich’s knuckles throbbed as he laid his hand over his eyes. He didn’t think he’d punch this many people in the course of his life, let alone within a week. His hands were unused to the strain of it. 

With a deep sigh, Diedrich disregarded the candle and decided to let himself drift off. It had been a long day and he had no reason to stay up any later. That was until his door suddenly creaked open. 

Diedrich shot up, thinking it was another intruder, but he was surprised to see none other than Diamond slip into his room, his pale skin and stark blond hair glowing in the moonlight. 

“Diamond—I locked your door, how did you—?”

“Little trick I learned from being here so long,” Diamond answered, waving the question off like he knew it was coming and didn’t want to go into detail. He leaned against the door, gazing at Diedrich with curiosity glimmering in his eyes. 

“Do you need something?” Diedrich asked, really confused as to why Diamond felt the need to escape his room and come immediately to Diedrich. 

“I don’t know—I just wanted to finish our earlier chat, I suppose.” 

“Ugh, please—not right now.” Diedrich stood up, stepping toward Diamond. “Come on, let’s get you back to bed.” 

Diedrich reached for the doorknob, but Diamond didn’t budge. 

“I don’t want to go to bed yet,” Diamond whispered. He wrapped his arms around Diedrich’s broad shoulders. Diedrich was taken aback. “...I don’t think you want to, either.”

“Okay, Diamond, let’s slow down for a moment,” Diedrich cautiously replied. He roughly pushed Diamond’s hands away. Diamond squeaked at the force. “I am your guard. Nothing more. I will take you back to your room, or else—“

“Or else what? You’ll punish me? Tell the mademoiselle?” Diamond interrupted, meeting Diedrich’s eye with a sharp look. He paused before saying, “You and I both know why you nearly killed that man tonight. And it wasn’t for Chase’s sake. He’d been obsessed with Dot and you didn’t like it.”

“Wha—what are you going on about?” Diedrich still hadn’t let go of Diamond’s wrists. 

“I see the way you look at each other. And I know what it does to you.” Diamond’s voice was more of a growl at this point. “You desire him more than anything else, yet you can’t have him.”

Diedrich was breathing heavily, his heart pounding a million miles a second as he held his gaze with Diamond. In a sudden rush of coiled frustration, Diedrich slammed Diamond’s hands against the door. He cried out in pain, but Diedrich did not heed. 

“What could you possibly know about me!?” Diedrich spat through gritted teeth. “Nothing!”

Pushing off the door, Diedrich let go of Diamond and turned away. Diamond rubbed his wrists as he watched Diedrich. “I know what it feels like.”

Diedrich paused, turning his head toward Diamond. “What?”

“To desire the unattainable,” Diamond explained further, stepping closer to Diedrich. He put his hands on Diedrich's back, leaning his head against him. “It feels like a bottomless pit in your heart… it’s unbearable…”

Diedrich didn’t respond. His expression remained harsh, but there was a strange feeling building in his chest. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. 

“But… there is relief… _We_ can be the relief.” Diamond’s voice cut through Diedrich’s clouded thoughts and feelings. He felt Diamond’s hands snake around his hips, latching themselves there. Diedrich shuddered. There had been times when he’d imagined something like this, but he never dreamed it could be real. Being held by another man was an opportunity that rarely came knocking, especially in the society he was exposed to. It was difficult to find anyone who would willingly sacrifice their reputation. And since Diedrich wasn't even looking, that occurrence was practically impossible. But down there... in the basement away from those expectations, Diedrich was free to be whatever he wanted to be with anyone. Then again, if it was with Diamond, would Diedrich be stupider to pass this rare opportunity up or to let it happen? 

Before he could think too much, Diamond slinked his hand down into the front of Diedrich’s undergarments.

Diedrich hissed at the sudden touch.

Diamond hummed, pleased with what he found there. “It’s just like they say… Germans really _are_ bigger.”

“ _Mund,_ ” Diedrich snapped back. He squeezed his eyes shut, letting Diamond continue.

“If you want, you can imagine I’m him…,” Diamond whispered, leaning up to nibble on Diedrich’s ear. “Just keep your eyes closed...”

In one swift motion, Diamond was suddenly in front of Diedrich, leaning his body closer and pressing their lips together. Diedrich took a sharp, deep breath. High school had been the last time he felt that sensation—the sensation of another man on his lips. Now, it was just as secret; just as taboo...

Diedrich lost count of the hundreds of times he had reimagined it— _relived_ it before he went to sleep. Beyond those hundreds of times, there must have been thousands of times where he’d imagined doing the same with Vincent. In the moment he was kissing Diamond, he wanted to believe it was Vincent’s lips he was tasting, but he knew that dream was too good to be true. Vincent would feel different, like kissing the moon—too impossible to be real. 

As the heat of the moment started rising, Diedrich pushed back against Diamond, who allowed Diedrich to guide him down onto the bed. Diedrich climbed over Diamond, the two of them making certain their lips remained pressed together. Diedrich breathed roughly through his nose. 

Diamond wrapped his arms around Diedrich’s neck again, relaxing into his position underneath him as though he’d done this a thousand times before. The unprecedented feeling of Diamond’s foot rubbing up between Diedrich’s legs made him shiver and pause. 

“I don’t have any oils on me… haven’t gone shopping in a while,” Diamond whispered, not stopping his foot’s motion. Diedrich was having a hard time comprehending what he was saying—oils? What oils? “But I can treat you with my mouth,” Diamond stated, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. “You would like that, right?”

Diedrich hesitated before nodding. He leaned away as Diamond sat up. Diedrich watched Diamond’s every movement—the way his eyes flicked up to meet Diedrich’s unwavering gaze, the slow slide of his hands over the buttons of Diedrich’s drawers, the way he adjusted his position so that he was on his knees before Diedrich, the way his tongue stuck out ever-so-slightly over his perfectly pink lips when Diedrich was fully exposed—, everything.

As the warmth of Diamond’s mouth started to monopolize Diedrich’s mind, he felt himself falling deep into a kind of pleasure he had resolved he’d never feel during this lifetime. This burden on his mind, body, and soul was being lifted in that moment of pure ecstasy. He felt like he’d never been touched before in his life—and it wasn’t a far reach.

A certain twirl by Diamond’s tongue made Diedrich jerk and involuntarily groan. His jaw dropped open as Diamond strengthened his sucking and Diedrich’s hand shot up, firmly gripping Diamond’s hair. Diamond hummed at this gesture, glancing up at Diedrich. Going by the mischievous glint in his eyes, Diedrich doubted it was to check on how he was doing—rather, he was gloating over his skill. 

Quite unexpectedly, Diamond paused in his stimulation with an obscenely wet pop. He sat up to look Diedrich in the face, licking his lips and catching his breath. Diedrich shuddered at the loss of feeling and heat. 

Diamond giggled a bit as he watched Diedrich’s face contort in near agony, pushing his hair behind his ear. “You’re enjoying yourself?”

Diedrich closed his eyes, leaning his head back and putting his arm over his face. 

“Come, now, no need to be embarrassed…” Diamond grinned, moving in closer to Diedrich. He put one hand on Diedrich’s cheek, pulling his attention back while Diamond’s other hand stroked him slowly. “It’s your first time with another man, right?”

“It’s not yours?” Diedrich was able to sputter out, trying to hold on to some semblance of dignity. 

“Oh, darling, no,” Diamond laughed out, kissing Diedrich again, his lips much wetter than they’d been the last time they kissed. “I’ve had partners before.”

Diedrich grunted, trying to ignore the arousal that was starting to build in his stomach. “Who? The guests?”

“Ah, no. Someone more special than that. He’s gone now.” Diamond continued to slowly trail hot kisses along Diedrich's neck. “Dead.”

“Wha—? _Hng!_ ” Diedrich’s train of thought was interrupted by the sensation of firmer strokes. Diamond was getting faster—more daring—like he was trying to hurry things along. 

Leaning down again, Diamond reclaimed Diedrich’s cock in his mouth with more fervency. Diedrich didn’t think he could last a minute longer. 

In one swelling moment, all the tension in Diedrich’s body dropped, then dissolved. He couldn’t hear, he couldn’t see—all he could do was reel for a few, short seconds that felt like they lasted an eternity. 

When he came down from that height, the first sensation that came back was his hearing. He could hear himself heaving in powerful breaths as though he had just broken the surface of a deep ocean. His head lulled and he groaned, eyes opening slowly. He trembled as he felt Diamond’s hand, still stroking him. 

Next, he heard Diamond’s voice, “Blimey, that was a lot…”

Diedrich’s blurry vision came more into focus, looking down at Diamond, whose face was dripping with Diedrich’s release. It wasn’t only on his face—Diamond also let a large glob fall out of his mouth into his open palm. 

With one final spit, Diamond raised his hand to show Diedrich. Diedrich looked away, still not able to speak. “You’re pretty pent up, eh? Don’t you pleasure yourself?”

Diedrich weakly shook his head, still attempting to catch his breath. He watched Diamond reach for Diedrich’s towel on his side table—the very one he used to dry his face in the morning. Diedrich, though, didn’t have the capacity to stop Diamond.

Diamond wiped his face, then returned his attention to Diedrich. “That was quite… something…”

Diamond swiped Diedrich’s bangs off of his sweaty forehead as Diedrich finally caught his breath enough to move his hand. He reached up and brushed Diamond’s cheek, feeling how soft it was. He swiped his thumb over Diamond’s slightly swollen lips. Under his touch, Diamond closed his eyes and accepted it. He took Diedrich’s hand in his and guided it downward.

“Return the favor,” Diamond whispered, placing Diedrich’s large hand over the bulge in his drawers. Diedrich was surprised to feel it. Did Diamond get pleasure from pleasuring Diedrich? The thought itself was enough to make him let out a moan. Diamond’s golden eyes found Diedrich’s green, wide like a puppy begging for a treat. “...Won’t you?”

As soon as Diedrich started moving his hand, Diamond let his head fall into Diedrich’s chest, a wanton sigh escaping his throat. Diedrich didn’t expect such a positive response so suddenly. Diedrich, in his inexperience, felt quite nervous to take the reins. But seeing Diamond arch his back, expressing his enjoyment so openly, encouraged Diedrich to continue. 

“Harder,” Diamond commanded, his voice thick with lust. Diedrich did just that, putting more pressure into his circling movements. “Oh, _God…_ ”

Diamond reached back and pulled down his drawers, exposing his bare skin to Diedrich’s hand, which made him pause in surprise. Diamond adjusted his position so that he was sitting on Diedrich’s lap, his drawers stretching between his thighs as he spread his legs to fit around Diedrich’s muscular legs. 

Desperately, he pulled Diedrich’s hand back to where it was before. But this time, Diedrich’s hand wrapped around Diamond’s cock, nearly engulfing it. Diamond moaned again, letting out a yelp as Diedrich’s large, hot hand started stroking him. “So good… yes, just like that...”

Diedrich remembered at that moment that Diamond had done this before. He’d had partners do this to him before. Diedrich wondered if those various partners were just as turned on as Diedrich was, seeing the way Diamond acted while being pleasured. Diamond was an erotic dancer, but this was even more titillating than his lavish, elaborate performances. 

At some point, Diedrich became so lost in thought that he’d slowed down enough for Diamond to notice. Diamond looked at him, his forehead shining with a sheen of sweat. “ _Le Chien_ …, are you getting jealous?”

Without thinking, Diedrich responded with a short, “Huh?”, making Diamond giggle. 

Diamond leaned forward, his mouth next to Diedrich’s ear. “You’re hard again, dear…”

The sudden realization hit Diedrich that, yes, indeed, the sight and sound of Diamond’s pleasure had given him another erection. His face went red with embarrassment. 

Diamond scooted forward on Diedrich’s lap, saying “Come, now… your hand is big enough for the both of us…,” Diamond met Diedrich’s gaze, a cheeky smile tugging at his lips. “I can share.”

As if under mind control, Diedrich did just that, squeezing his hand around both of their erect cocks, jerking at the sensation of Diamond’s against his. 

Diedrich let his instinct take over, copying the movements Diamond had used on his a little earlier. He let his pleasure guide him; as they both started dripping, Diedrich moved faster and faster. It helped that Diamond was encouraging him every step of the way, as though he was coaching him. 

“Yes, that’s it, faster!” Diamond whined, his face contorting almost like he was in pain. “Move—higher—!”

Diedrich followed Diamond’s instructions, their bliss growing every passing second. Diedrich recognized and welcomed the same sensation he’d had before his last climax, anticipating its return this time. 

“With me, with me now…!” Diamond instructed, his words followed by moans that were rising in volume. Diedrich, in his last second of clear thought, covered Diamond’s mouth before he reached his climax. Diamond’s scream came out muffled instead, his whole body, including his voice, forcefully shuddering. He used Diedrich’s shoulder for a brace, throwing his head back and out of Diedrich’s reach, biting his lip to keep his mouth shut. 

Diedrich’s climax was not as powerful as the first, but he was still shaking and breathing heavily. Both men’s cum covered his hand, some of which had landed on their shirts, no way to tell whose was whose. 

Diamond sighed as he caught his breath, pulling his head forward to meet Diedrich’s eyes, which were having a hard time staying open. He caressed Diedrich’s face again, a dry laugh escaping his throat. “For your first time, that was just lovely.” Diamond sighed, contentedly. “Ah, I missed hands on me, especially big hands, like yours…”

Diedrich couldn’t find the wherewithal to respond. His throat was dry and his body felt completely drained. He felt at any moment like he could pass out. It wasn’t a bad feeling, really. He felt more content and relaxed than he had... well… probably _ever_. Like most German nobility, Diedrich was raised Protestant, which taught him from the get-go to disregard his desires. That being said, Diedrich had no real outlet for his feelings all his life, nor even a hobby that expressed them. Outside of his arrangement with Vincent. 

“Was it too much?” Diamond looked directly into Diedrich’s eyes, a small smile on his lips. “Come now, darling—you can lay down,” Diamond moved to dismount from Diedrich, breaking their gaze. “I bet you are positively exhausted…”

Diedrich followed his guiding hands as Diamond urged him to lay down. His head landed on his pillow and he grunted, grateful to be laying down. 

He felt the bed indent next to him as Diamond sat down. He used the same towel again to wipe Diedrich’s hand clean. Then, he started gently petting Diedrich’s head as though he were soothing him to sleep. “Do you need me to stay with you until you fall asleep?”

Diedrich felt the usual irritation of being babied (even though this feeling was just about as weak as his body) and waved Diamond’s hand away. “ _Nein_. Go back… to your room…”

“Aw, I’ll just stay for a bit,” Diamond leaned against Diedrich, pulling his legs up onto the bed. Diamond rested his head on his hand and continued to rub Diedrich’s cheek. The lingering touches were very calming to Diedrich and in no time at all, he felt like he was going to drift off. 

With his last lingering thought, Diedrich sighed out, “Thank you…” He wasn’t quite sure what he was grateful for—be it Diamond’s company or his pleasure, he didn’t know—, but he hoped Diamond understood his meaning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More coming next Thursday! This chapter was a little short but special... Diedrich finally got to release his frustrations O.O
> 
> Here's the Spotify playlist if anyone is interested!! : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3qdJpVNYgVtYYCRe35E8jl


	4. His Butler, Troubled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BACK AT IT AGAIN!!  
> Little late but I made it anyway!
> 
> Forgive any typos! ENJOY!!

The next morning came more strangely than Diedrich expected. He woke up at 8:50, almost time for him to let the performers out. He caressed his head as he sat up in bed, noticing he was all tucked in and buttoned up again. He didn’t have a headache and his usual aches and pains hurt less that morning than before. Was it possible that he felt so good last night that it cured some of his ails? 

Whatever the case, he didn’t have much time to get up before Mademoiselle Aline arrived. He got dressed, forgoing washing his face, and stepped out of his room. He had his mask in one hand and his keys in the other. 

When he stepped out, however, he heard voices from the main stage-room. The doors to the boys’ rooms were already open. Diedrich rushed out to see the tables had been lined up and everyone was sitting around them. Mr. McKnight was there, serving everyone the biggest meal Diedrich had seen while living in the place for four days. 

“Ah, Le Chien, glad you could join us.” Mademoiselle Aline spoke up. She appeared to be in a merry mood. Diedrich awkwardly made his way to a vacant seat between her and Lotus who was happily digging in what looked like much more than bread and water. 

“Good morning…” Diedrich replied, slowly. He glanced across the table, seeing Diamond on the other side further down, seeming back to his usual self. Meaning, he looked aggravated and was making every effort to not look at Diedrich. Diedrich didn’t mind that. Much.

Additionally, he didn’t see Chase at the table. He didn’t blame him—what happened to him last night was nothing you could recover from in one night. 

Across the table from him, Vincent was eating slowly. When Diedrich’s gaze landed on him, Vincent’s eyes flicked up then back down at his plate. Diedrich wondered what that was about, but couldn’t ask before the Mademoiselle started talking. 

“Mr. McKnight, if you wouldn’t mind serving our hero here,” Aline asked, smiling at Diedrich with pride in her voice. 

“What?” Diedrich responded, confused. 

“Oh, come now, you know!” Mademoiselle Aline pushed Diedrich’s arm. “You saved the day last night! If it weren’t for you, Chase would more than likely be dead. _Pauvre vieux!_ He is still in his room, but I’m certain he feels infinitely safer knowing that you’ve caught the killer.”

“Have I? Did you turn him in to the police?” Diedrich asked, gratefully accepting the plate of ham, bread, and a side of porridge from Eric, who smiled at him nervously. 

“Well, not yet… we will be going out today, so I’ve put Mr. McKnight in charge of taking care of that,” Aline explained taking a sip of the tea that had also been provided. 

“McKnight?” Diedrich turned to Eric, “Will you be alright doing it by yourself?”

“W-well, seeing as he’s still in an un-unconscious state, I should be able to.” Eric adjusted his glasses nervously.

“ _Oui._ You subdued him very well.”

“But what will you tell the police?” Diedrich asked, scarfing down his breakfast lest it disappeared before his eyes. He was so grateful to finally have something other than bread in his stomach.

“We’ll only tell the police what they need to know,” Vincent spoke up. “As I explained to the mademoiselle, we can’t very well give away that we’re here, so Eric will tell them he started a fight in the bar that nearly killed someone. They need not know much more than that. He’ll show them the evidence of the attempted murder from the bruises on Chase’s neck if he’d be so kind as to come out…”

Diedrich grunted in response, vigorously chewing his food. He was starting to get too focused on the food that he lost track of who spoke next.

“We’re going out today, right?” 

“Ah, _oui, oui._ After breakfast, you all will put on your day clothes and we will head to Chelsea Church for our special sermons.” Aline explained, finishing her plate and pushing it away. A couple of people groaned, including Diamond. 

“Do we really have to go to that dusty old place? We practice prayers every night before bed. Is that not enough?” Diamond complained. A couple of the younger ones nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah! I want to go shopping—we haven’t been in weeks…” Zuzu added on with a pout. 

“You boys should be more grateful to Father Farley. And lucky that he allows little wretches like you in his holy place of worship.” Aline countered, her brow furrowing the way a mother would when scolding her own children. 

“Can we go shopping after then?” Lotus asked, hopefully. 

Aline did not look too certain. “Usually, I like to let you boys go to your shops, but because of all the problems recently…” 

“But you just said we caught the killer! It should be safe now, right?” Aais piped in from the other end of the table, raising his little hand. 

“ _Oui!_ And we have Le Chien!” Ange pointed out. “ _S'il vous plaît_ , mademoiselle?”

Aline stared at her boys who were all giving her the same hopeful expression, seeming to be thinking about it. Diedrich and Vincent shared a look, to which Vincent smiled at Diedrich and Diedrich knitted his brow. 

“Well, you have forced my hand. I can’t very well say no when you’re all so convincing.” Mademoiselle Aline stood from the table, clapping her hands with a small smile on her face. “You are allowed shopping time for one hour. Then we must return in time for dinner.”

Most of the people at the table cheered, several saying ‘thank you’ instead for the mademoiselle’s generosity. 

Diedrich had finished his plate and drank down the rest of his glass of water before standing with the rest of the table. Aline put her hand on Diedrich’s arm to get his attention. 

“Le Chien, you will have to guard the boys very carefully… you understand? We can’t have them running off or getting into trouble,” Aline instructed, maintaining eye contact with Diedrich.

“Of course, Mademoiselle.” Diedrich nodded in affirmation.

“Also, I have some street clothes for you as well. They were my late husbands’, but they should fit you quite nicely,” Aline added with a smile. “I will have Mr. McKnight bring them to your room.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

* * *

Diedrich did go change into the clothes provided. It was an old suit, out of style for the times, but it did fit, which is what mattered. It had tan pinstripe pants with a charcoal gray frock overcoat and a bow tie. Diedrich felt a little ridiculous, but at least it was clean. And it came complete with a matching top hat which Diedrich was overjoyed to wear. His hair was a mess and he hadn’t had access to a bath in more days than he wanted to count, so he felt like a dirty man ruining a clean suit. At least he would look presentable to the public.

Diedrich had the boys file up the stairs where Aline was waiting for them, he followed up with them last. They all had varying outing clothes, but they all covered their whole bodies. Diedrich was grateful that the kids were finally wearing proper clothes rather than their regular loose, old shirts and undergarments. They did also wear their performance outfits at night, but those were even more distasteful. Diedrich wished he could end this sooner so he could help provide these kids with a better life. He wasn’t usually the philanthropist type, but, unfortunately, he connected with these kids. And he’d probably do anything to protect them.

Diedrich guided them all outside once they gathered in the lobby of the bar and Aline remained inside for a moment to give final instructions to Eric. 

Vincent made a point to walk up next to Diedrich as they all waited outside, most of them excitedly chatting. “I really like your new look, Dee…” 

“Shut it. You look like a bum,” Diedrich reprimanded, to which Vincent laughed. He was wearing a plain white collar shirt with a cheap, worn vest over the top, beige trousers that looked too big on him, and a newsboy hat fastened to his head that did not complement his silky hair. 

“I thought it was a great disguise—I doubt anyone would recognize me,” Vincent responded, his face pleasant despite the fact that he’d been avoiding Diedrich since last night.

Diedrich was silent for a moment, then he said, “So… you’re not appalled by me?”

“What? What would make you think that?” Vincent said, defensively, raising his eyebrow. 

“Just a hunch,” Diedrich responded, mindlessly looking in through the window of the bar. He watched as Mademoiselle Aline handed Eric a key which he nervously took. Diedrich squinted at the key. It wasn’t familiar. 

“Well, your little show last night was—what’s wrong?” Vincent stopped, noticing Diedrich’s change in mood. Diedrich looked away as Aline started on her way out. 

“I’ll tell you later.” 

“Alright, is everyone ready to go?” Aline asked in that special announcer-like voice she had. Vincent blended back into the group, letting Aline walk in front. “Follow me.”

They walked down the streets of London as a group with Aline leading the way and Diedrich remaining in the back to make sure the group stayed together. Diedrich had been to London a few times, but never to go sight-seeing. Either he was on business or on an errand for Vincent. There was not much to see, in Diedrich's opinion. There were some buildings that could be considered beautiful, but most of them looked old and unkempt. The streets were busy with carriages and bustling with Londoners, the likes of which were either in a rush or trying to sell something.

Aline walked through without batting much of an eye. It seemed that the performers had a formation as well, keeping the young ones in the center of the group and the older boys on the outside. Diedrich bet they looked rather intimidating when Gage walked behind them. Diedrich tried to do the same, but he wasn’t nearly as bulky as Gage was. 

After a bit of silent walking, Diedrich noticed Diamond had subtly made his way to the back of the group, nearest to Diedrich. This was something Diedrich was trying to ignore to keep face and keep secret, but Diamond didn’t seem to want to be that subtle. 

“So, are you going to invite me again tonight?” Diamond asked in a quiet voice. His street clothes were a bit more flattering. He had a black overcoat and black pants with a scarf tied around his neck. Atop his nose was a pair of spectacles that complimented his eyes. Diedrich’s head flashed an image of Diamond, nearly naked on his lap from last night. The contrast struck Diedrich in the cheeks and he hoped it wasn’t noticeable. 

“I don’t know,” Diedrich said slowly, making sure no one was listening. 

“Oh, didn’t you have fun?” Diamond side-stepped so that he bumped Diedrich a bit. “I did.”

“It’s not about fun! It’s about… being safe,” Diedrich snapped back, his cheeks burning more. He’d never had someone actually be interested in him. Especially not someone who was so forward about it. 

“Oh, please. Mademoiselle Aline already knows I’m a pansy. It won’t be hard to accept one more.” Diamond tutted, his eyes looking forward at Aline’s back. “Plus, we’re going shopping—I can get some _oils_ …”

Diedrich grunted in response, his lips feeling like they were glued shut. It was obscene to talk about such things in public and Diedrich didn’t even like talking about them in private. It was strange to him that Diamond was so blunt about his feelings and interests—it made him uncomfortable and Diamond could tell. 

“Come on, Le Chien… you’ll like it, I promise!” Diamond grabbed Diedrich’s arm and leaned on him like a wife would her husband. Diedrich pulled away, as gently as he could. Internally, he was screaming for help. It was at that moment that Diedrich caught Vincent’s eye. Vincent was smiling at him, almost like he knew something. Though he usually looked like that, it still made Diedrich cringe nervously. How long had he been watching?

“I will think about it. Just get back in your group.” Diedrich spoke sharply as he pushed Diamond’s back to force him in front of him. 

Diamond scoffed, almost offended but yielded to Diedrich’s demand. Afterward, Diedrich couldn’t help but overhear him talking to Lotus and Mbali claiming, “He’s just shy,” to which the other two giggled. 

Diedrich kind of wished he didn’t come. 

* * *

When they entered the church, Diedrich was surprised to see no one there. It was a little late in the day, but sermons usually went on all day on Sundays, right? Diedrich hadn’t been to church in a while. Which he also blamed on Vincent. From all the trouble they’d gotten into, Diedrich didn’t think he could face God any time soon. And he figured Vincent felt the same way. 

When they all shuffled into the pews, Diedrich staying by the door as instructed, a man in holy robes stepped out before them. Everyone stood as he approached the podium. He was balding with grey hair and a rounded beard that grew past his neck. He had circular glasses that hung on the end of his long, drooping nose that did little to cover the large bags under his eyes. Diedrich recognized that look—a look of sleeplessness like he had been awake for days on end. As for his actual eyes, they were beady and hyper-focused, hanging on every face before him as though he was looking into their souls. Immediately, he made Diedrich uneasy. 

“Good morning, children,” He spoke loud enough that it echoed throughout the church, but somehow his voice was soft and soothing. “Let us begin.”

Diedrich watched as everyone picked up the books provided and flipped to the appropriate page. Including Vincent, to Diedrich’s surprise. He would have thought that after ‘escaping’ Weston and becoming the Earl of the Phantomhive manor, he would have given up on attending church. Diedrich supposed he had to attend seeing as he was an earl. But, seeing as Diedrich was a naturally honest man and, in contrast, lying came easily to Vincent, perhaps it wasn’t much of a stretch to lie to God in church. Maybe he didn’t lie? Diedrich was actually curious. 

Diedrich watched the rest of the sermon in silence, keeping his eyes fixed on Vincent. Every step, prayer, and hymn came naturally to him, almost like a performance. Diedrich wondered if that’s all it was. Just Vincent going through the motions of a regular Sunday sermon that he was expected to attend as a higher member of society. 

Diedrich was almost jealous. He didn’t really have a social circle outside of the Aristocrats of Evil. Or, rather, outside of Vincent. Diedrich knew people, he just did not socialize well so he had no one else he wanted to rely on other than Vincent. Which was dangerous by itself—but Diedrich figured if Vincent was untrustworthy, he’d have shown his true colors through the four years he had known him. Then again, Vincent was always in the shadows, so wouldn’t that make him even more untrustworthy? 

Diedrich huffed outwardly. Vincent’s readability hadn’t gotten any easier for Diedrich. He supposed that Vincent wanted it that way. Maybe Diedrich did too. But if Vincent were to be his only… _ally_ … Diedrich had to admit he wanted to know more than he currently did. 

Silence cut through Diedrich’s thoughts as the priest held up his hands to silence everyone. It seemed the sermon had ended. Diedrich straightened, pulling his attention back to the present.

“Very lovely job, everyone...I’m proud to see you have been keeping up with your connection with God through nightly prayers and readings…” He said, nodding to himself. He descended the short stairwell that led to the podium, regarding the Mademoiselle. “Mademoiselle Aline, I see we have a new guest.”

Diedrich was taken aback by the priest gesturing toward him. Diedrich didn’t really want to speak to him if he could help it, but Aline seemed enthusiastic to introduce them.

“Yes, yes, come, come, _cher._ ” She gestured wildly for Diedrich to approach and he hurried to answer her request. 

He stood before the priest and bowed. “Hello, father.”

“Father Farley, this is our new guard dog, _Le Chien_ . _Le Chien_ , this is Father Farley. He has been with us through these hard times and supported my community when no one else would.” Mademoiselle Aline explained. Diedrich wondered how much she told him—if that included supporting the club or not.

The priest offered Diedrich his hand which he, after a short pause, took and kissed his knuckles. His hands were slightly wrinkled but not yet gnarled. He was getting on in age, as his hair and face showed, but not his hands. Strange.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Father,” Diedrich finally stood tall. “I enjoyed watching the sermon. Honestly, it’s been a while since my last attendance.”

“I can tell.” Father Farley pointed out, bluntly. He got up closer to Diedrich’s face which made him extremely uncomfortable. “A young man like you should not be filled with such turmoil and dark thoughts...you can confide in God, child. There is no need to fear. He can cleanse every sin.”

Diedrich glanced at Mademoiselle Aline who was looking at him encouragingly. 

“Uh… I will remember that thank you, Father,” Diedrich managed. 

“Good.” Father Farley turned to the rest of the group. “Now, my dear children, I was watching you all very closely throughout the sermon. As you know, I like to take one of you each week to get a special cleanse for the most troubled soul.”

He stepped in front of them as Aline and Diedrich watched on. Father Farley looked between all of them again, as ceremoniously as the first time, before speaking again. “Ange…”

Ange jumped in his seat, not saying anything yet but letting a little squeak escape his throat. Diedrich didn’t like that reaction. 

“Your soul is getting closer to needing another cleanse. Your thoughts cloud the purity of your heart. Be mindful of this for the next week,” Father Farley instructed. “That being said, I believe the one in need of cleansing the most this week would be Diamond.”

Diamond stiffened his expression tense but not giving much away. Diamond stood slowly, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

“Yes, Father,” He exited the pews and joined with Father Farley who led him to the back of the church then down a hall where Diedrich could no longer see him. 

When they were gone, everyone leaned forward in their seats and appeared to begin to pray. Diedrich looked around, confused. Even Aline was praying. Diedrich felt awkward just standing there, but he didn’t know what else to do. 

Once they had finished their prayers, Diedrich followed along with the crosses they made across their chest then approached the opposite side of the pew where Vincent sat. “What the hell is going on?”

“Le Chien, language, this is a church.” Vincent teased in a whisper to match Diedrich’s. “To be quite honest, I’m not sure; I have yet to be selected by the Father for this. This is only the second time I’ve been here.”

Suddenly, Zuzu leaned in from behind Vincent, whispering, “Diamond is being punished. The Father deemed his soul to be unclean.”

“‘Punished’? How?” Diedrich demanded, horrified. 

“It’s usually Chase that goes in and he’s told us that Father uses his ‘holy hands’ to cleanse you,” Aais added, comforting Ange who was on the verge of tears. “Ange has gone once before too.”

“I don’t understand… I pray every night!” Ange choked out, curling over. Aais hugged him, sadly. 

Diedrich’s protective nature spiked. Or maybe it was his anger. He didn’t know. What could this creepy priest be doing to these boys? _Did_ he know more about their occupations than Aline let on?

“Hush, now, boys. It’s for your own good. Father Farley will keep you holy so that you may still pass into heaven.” Aline stated, standing straight and tall. She sniffed and Diedrich saw her expression darken. He shared a short look with Vincent who was casually leaning his head in his hand on the pew armrest. 

It was difficult, but Diedrich tried to put what was going on on the back burner until he could discuss it with Vincent later. Still leaning next to Vincent’s ear, Diedrich whispered even quieter than before, “I didn’t think you of all people would still attend church…”

A small smile crept onto Vincent’s face and he leaned over to Diedrich’s ear and whispered back, “And I didn’t think _you_ of all people could lose your virginity.”

Diedrich reeled back in horror and embarrassment. He didn’t think he’d ever felt his face redder or his heart beat faster than in that moment. _How did he know!?_ “Ph-Ph-Ph—!”

Vincent chuckled, “Please, _Le Chien_ , did you think I couldn’t tell?”

“Tell what?” Aais asked behind them in curiosity. Unluckily for Diedrich, he had drawn the attention of the rest of the group who stared at him in a mix of concern and amusement. 

Diedrich shook his head and cleared his throat, “It’s—it’s nothing…”

“ _Le Chien_ is making plans for a game later tonight,” Vincent lied, turning to the boys in the pew behind him. They all lit up in excitement. Great, now Diedrich had to come up with a game. 

“Really!?” 

“What kind of game!?”

“That’s so lovely, _Le Chien_!” 

“Boys, boys! Please! We are in a church.” Mademoiselle Aline interjected, forcefully hitting her hands on her lap. “Father Farley will be back at any moment, have some respect.”

“It’s my fault, Mademoiselle. It was supposed to be a secret,” Vincent offered, crossing his legs. “I apologize.”

Aline huffed, “Honestly, Dot, you’re quite the troublemaker. I’m surprised the Father doesn’t bring _you_ back there.”

Diedrich squinted at the implications. If Diedrich was reading the situation right, Aline was attacking Vincent’s character—the likes of which could be considered sinful in the eyes of the Father. 

Diedrich resisted the urge to shake his head. In spite of Diedrich’s own opinions of Vincent's horrible personality, he would never throw him in with lowly sinners. Especially since Vincent seemed to take his prayers seriously. Diedrich would like to see that old man try to get his ‘holy hands’ on Vincent while he was around. He might end up not having any hands at all after.

Despite Diedrich’s feelings, Vincent didn’t seem bothered. He simply shrugged. “You might be right, mademoiselle.”

That also did not sit right with Diedrich. Something about Vincent’s tone made his stomach uneasy. It was sad: a tone that Diedrich had never heard from Vincent before. If Diedrich knew better, he might think that had resonated with Vincent in some way. But he didn’t know. He probably would never. 

Moments later, Father Farley reemerged with Diamond who looked submissive as he walked behind the Father; not at all like his usual, defiant self. Diedrich’s expression dropped in concern. What happened to him?

Diamond continued to stand next to the Father, not making eye contact with the others, as Farley addressed the group again. “Thank you for coming today. I can see you are all keeping your gazes up, looking towards heaven. Be certain that they stay there. God bless you all.”

Everyone echoed the Father’s blessing before standing and thanking him with a bow. Diedrich mimicked them. 

Shortly thereafter, Diamond made a beeline for the exit, the group following slowly behind him. Diedrich wanted to reach out to him, but he didn’t know how to. They were not lovers—they weren’t even really friends. Maybe they could at least talk later if Diamond was in the mood. 

* * *

After leaving the church, the troupe went to the nearby shopping area down the street from the Lion’s Den. Most of the kids used their earnings to buy candy, including Ange. They went to several stores but came upon a little problem right before they were about to conclude.

“But Mademoiselle, I want to go to that shop!” Leo begged, holding on to Mademoiselle's arm. 

“Leo! We are going to this shop as our last shop to get Chase what he wanted.” Aline put her hands on her hips, adamantly. “Have a little consideration for others. He’s been through the wringer!”

With this, Leo’s whole body dropped in disappointment. Diedrich had watched the kids in the candy shop when they were grabbing sweets left and right. Diedrich did notice Leo didn’t really grab any. He came out empty-handed and it occurred to Diedrich that he wanted something else. Diedrich, not wanting Leo to be the only one who didn’t get what he wanted, stepped forward.   
“Mademoiselle, if I may, I could take Leo to get what he wants and we can meet back here,” Diedrich said. Leo looked up at him, hopefully. 

Aline considered this, her gaze switching between Leo and Diedrich. She then looked at Chase who shrugged, not seeming to care either way. With a sigh, she conceded, “Fine. You get 5 minutes. Then we must go. We aren’t safe on the streets.”

“Yes! Thank you, Mademoiselle!” Leo cheered, grabbing onto Diedrich’s forearm. “C’mon, _Le Chien_! Let’s go, quick!”

“ _Ja_.”

Leo led Diedrich up the street, to the left of where they were meant to meet up again. They came upon a little metal shop and Leo stopped, peeping into the window. From the outside, it looked closed. Leo knocked on the door boisterously as though the person inside could not hear from the inside. 

Diedrich felt like they were waiting for too long until a very old man opened the door. He looked outward first, then down at Leo. “Hello?”

“Grandpa! It’s Leo!”

_Grandpa!?_

“Awh, Leo, my boy! Welcome back,” The old man shook as he reached out to pat Leo’s curly, red hair. “How have you been?”

“I’m okay. Grandpa, Grandpa—I have enough now! I saved up my money as you said!” Leo’s smile was as bright as the sun. He took a burlap sack out of his pocket and held it out in front of him for the old man to see. 

“Oh, I see, now, I see…” Grandpa took the bag as Leo practically shoved it in his hands. “I will be right back then.”

Diedrich waited for the man to disappear back into his shop before he asked Leo about what was going on. “Leo—is he actually…?”

“No,” Leo interrupted, his demeanor changing suddenly. “I wish he was. That’s why I call him that—‘Grandpa’, that is.”

“Oh,” Diedrich responded, a little relieved at least that Leo wasn’t being taken away from his family.

“I have no family. Until you came, I didn’t have anyone to protect me for real,” Leo continued, looking down at the ground. “That’s why I’ve been saving my money.” At that moment, Leo’s gaze found Diedrich’s and he looked serious. “ _Le Chien_ , you can’t tell Mademoiselle about this.”

“What?”

Before Leo could explain, the door opened again, and out popped the shop owner. “Right here for you, my boy.”

The man grunted as he held out what Diedrich immediately recognized as a sheathed pocket knife. Diedrich held back his reaction, which was nothing but concern because this was obviously very important to Leo. Leo looked ecstatic to have it, but, more than that, he looked like a weight lifted from his shoulders as he took the knife in his hands. 

“I don’t think I need to tell you to be careful, but do take care of it,” The old man explained, tapping the knife. “It is only for your protection. Don’t go picking fights, now, boy.”

Leo unsheathed it, staring at it in awe. “Yes, Grandpa.”

“Good. You should be proud of yourself—not many a man can keep good on their word. You must be doing some honest, hard work.” The old man patted Leo’s head once more. Diedrich tried not to cringe at how far off his words were, but the old guy probably wouldn’t notice anyway.

“Thank you, Grandpa. I have to go now, but I’ll visit again when I can!” Leo smiled at him. The old man waved to him as Leo pocketed his new knife and walked away. 

Diedrich was quiet for a bit as they slowly walked back to their meeting spot. He wasn’t one to shove his nose into other people’s business—more specifically, people he didn’t know—but he was curious as to why Leo wanted that knife. 

Leo stopped, suddenly, and Diedrich did the same, watching him. “You aren’t going to tell, right?”

Diedrich scoffed, “Or what, you’ll kill me?”

Leo looked alarmed, “No, I mean, I wouldn’t—”

“It’s okay. I won’t,” Diedrich waved him off. His eyes found the store behind him and he had an idea. “Wait right here.”

“Okay.” Leo watched Diedrich as he entered the shop behind them. Shortly after he entered, Diedrich exited carrying a brand new cap. 

“Here,” Diedrich held out the hat to Leo who was surprised. His eyes were alight with wonder as he turned the hat over in his hands. 

“Why?”

“You need a cover-up for your knife. Put it on, it will look nice,” Diedrich insisted. Leo did as he was instructed, his face lighting up in awe. 

“Thank you, _Le Chien_! You didn’t have to spend your salary on me—this must have been very costly, sir,” Leo adjusted the hat, looking up at the brim contentedly. “Truly, thank you.”

“ _Ja._ Just don’t stab me with _that_ ,” Diedrich joked, continuing toward their meet-up place, knowing that Leo would follow. The hat helped tame Leo’s crazy hair, which had bothered Diedrich since he met him. It wasn’t much, but it was the least Diedrich could do. If Leo had saved up for probably months, foregoing toys and candy, to buy a knife, it was probably for a good reason. Diedrich figured it brought a sense of safety that Leo didn’t previously have which was more than okay with Diedrich. 

* * *

When they all got back to the Lion’s Den, Diedrich was surprised to see the bar area was alight with a banquet on the far side of the room. The younger ones rushed in excitedly—Diedrich didn’t know that dinner entailed an actual party-like spread. He thought it would just be a small meal and alcohol.

Speaking of games, Diedrich had been thinking a lot about what game he would suggest they play at this party since Vincent set him up. Diedrich remembered only a few games from his childhood when he was very young—games that weren’t going to be fun for these boys, who were much older than when Diedrich played them. There was one German game, however, Diedrich thought he could introduce that might be fun.

Everyone ate and, those who were old enough, drank a lot as well, Diedrich included. It had been too long since he last got to relax, eat, and drink. Eric had managed to make some satisfactory dishes that fed everyone, even if Diedrich had more than he ought to have been portioned. 

When there was no food left to distract them, the young ones gathered around Diedrich, gazing at him expectantly. Diedrich squinted, knowing what they wanted, so he chugged the rest of his beer and sighed. “Okay, okay, you want to know the game, _ja_?”

“ _Ja!_ ” They all responded, excitedly. 

Diedrich sat up, adjusting his clothes. “Leo. You’re going to help me demonstrate.”

Leo looked surprised. “O-okay!”

“So, this game is called _fingerhakeln._ You can use any finger except your thumb, but your middle finger is most likely going to be the strongest. Leo, sit across the table from me,” Diedrich gestured to the seat at the round table across from him and Leo obliged. Diedrich set his right arm on the table and Leo mirrored him. “Okay, we will link our fingers and you have to try to pull me across the table.”

“What!?” Leo exclaimed. “I can’t do that! You’re two times bigger than me!”

Diedrich chuckled, knowing that Leo was right. “We are just demonstrating. Your opponents will be more your size.”

Apparently, this demonstration had caught the attention of a couple of other party-goers. Chase, who seemed to be feeling better (especially after a few drinks), leaned on the table in interest. “Oh, what’s this? Are you arm wrestling?”

“Finger wrestling!” Aais announced. 

“Ooo, let’s see then. Do your best, Leo!” Chase smiled, languidly.

“Okay, on three, we will both start pulling,” Diedrich told Leo who was looking more nervous by the second. “One, two… three!”

Diedrich stiffened as Leo started pulling with all his might. He had a little strength, but not enough to make Diedrich budge. Diedrich tried not to let himself feel amused by Leo’s all for naught effort, but he couldn’t stop the smile that formed on his face. After a few more seconds of a valiant effort, Leo deflated with a long sigh releasing Diedrich’s finger. 

“Were you even trying, _Le Chien_!?” Leo cried, obviously frustrated. 

“Hmm, not really,” Diedrich responded, cheekily, rubbing his nose. “Don’t feel too bad though.”

From behind Diedrich, a short laugh sounded. It was from Vincent. “Yes, don’t feel bad— _Le Chien_ is a beast.”

“ _He_!” Diedrich interjected, offended. 

“This looks so fun—let’s set up a kids table and an adult table,” Chase suggested, sitting down in the chair Leo vacated. “I want to challenge _you,_ _Le Chien._ ”

“ _Was_? I don’t want to play, I was just demonstrating,” Diedrich sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. 

“Come now, what’s the harm?” Vincent asked, suddenly rubbing Diedrich’s shoulder. 

Diedrich, embarrassed by the gesture, pulled away from Vincent’s reach, “The harm is that I don’t want to.”

“Come on, come on, _Le Chien_ , I just want to _try,_ ” Chase insisted, reaching out his finger for Diedrich to take. He was slurring his words a bit and swaying in his movements. He was obviously a bit drunk, so Diedrich didn’t want to accept the challenge, one reason being that it would be an easy win, another being that Diedrich was worried he would end up hurting Chase, seeing as he was the boniest among the troupe.

“If he’s doing it, I’m doing it too!” Lotus interjected out of the blue. “Mbali wants to give it a go also!”

Mbali nodded in agreement. 

Diedrich sighed, leaning forward again to put his arm on the table. “Okay, fine, fine... but don’t be mad at me when you lose.”

“You’re quite confident,” Chase teased, raising one of his eyebrows and leaning closer to Diedrich’s face. “I like that…”

Diedrich shied away, trying to ignore Chase’s antics. “Uh, Dot, count us in, please.”

“Certainly,” Vincent made his way around the table as though he were officiating an actual event. He was still wearing his street clothes, except he lost the old vest and undid some of the buttons on his white collared shirt. It distracted Diedrich just enough that he didn’t notice when Vincent got to three. 

Chase pulled with his whole body, but it was only enough to make Diedrich extend his arm. Once Diedrich snapped his attention back to the task at hand, he may have accidentally used too much force to counter Chase’s attack, as he practically brought Chase hurtling over the table at him. 

“Woah!” Not only did everyone in the room react in shock, Diedrich did the same. Diedrich underestimated just how little Chase weighed and stared at him where he laid on the table in horror. 

“I am so sorry, Chase, I didn’t—” Diedrich attempted to apologize, but Chase started laughing. 

“Dear God, man, you _are_ a beast!” Chase proclaimed with a laugh, sitting up, and nearly knocking Diedrich’s empty glass to the floor, which Vincent caught, gracefully. 

“No, you just weigh five stone,” Diamond said, approaching the table. He gave Diedrich a cocky smile which made him think that Diamond was starting to feel back to normal after what happened at church. “Count me in too, it seems interesting.”

“Look, I said I didn’t want to do this,” Diedrich chided, despite being relieved that Diamond was feeling better. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt. I am… much larger than you all.”

“Ha, you could say that again!” Lotus exclaimed with a wink to Diamond. Diamond rolled his eyes and Diedrich squinted, the implications making his stomach twist slightly and his cheeks heat up. How much _did_ Diamond tell them? 

Next to him, Diedrich heard Vincent giggle. At that moment, Diedrich made a point not to look at Vincent.

Lotus sat down across from Diedrich. “It’ll be a short match, but I still want to experience your strength first hand. Then Mbali will try—I think you’ll actually have some trouble with him!”

Diedrich huffed, looking beyond Lotus at the kids who were determinedly pulling at each other’s fingers. He watched Ange and Leo wrestle as Aais and Zuzu cheered them on. Ange put up a good fight, but ultimately Leo won out. The kids went crazy and Chase even joined them at their table to start officiating. Diedrich, despite his reservations, smiled. 

He shared a look with Vincent. The man, whose expression was typically hard to read, looked on encouragingly. Diedrich thought about the moment they shared in church that led him into this situation: he wanted to leave this party and talk with Vincent in private, but it seemed he’d need to satisfy the members first. It occurred to Diedrich that these boys were always the ones doing the entertainment rather than being entertained. Diedrich didn’t know why _he_ had to be the one to provide it, but if it was a finger battle they wanted, Diedrich would at least indulge them. A little.

“Fine, fine—I’ll only fight you each once. No rematches,” Diedrich explained, leaning forward again. “But after that, I will retire from _fingerhakeln._ For good.” 

“Fair enough. Show me what you’ve got, champ!” Lotus took Diedrich’s finger and, at Vincent’s countdown, they began.

Like Lotus predicted, their fight did not last very long. Diedrich wasn’t able to pull Lotus over the table like he did with Chase, but Lotus did eventually give in, shaking out his hand from the pain of his straining. Lotus took his defeat well, congratulating Diedrich boisterously and complimenting his strength. Next was Mbali who, like Lotus also said, was more of a challenge. Diedrich actually felt like he was exerting himself at one point. Diedrich played a lot of sports in college and even afterward. Maintaining his physical fitness was a hobby of Diedrich’s. As well, he had to keep his health a priority since Vincent’s exploits often involved his strength (like the one he was in the middle of currently, for example).

Again, however, Mbali’s strength ran out before Diedrich’s and he gave in. After catching his breath, Mbali held out his hand for Diedrich to shake. Diedrich took it, feeling like it was a gesture of recognition—the most emotion he’d received from Mbali since he arrived. 

“That was amazing, Mbali, my brother!” Lotus exclaimed, hugging Mbali when he stood up from the chair. 

“Thank you…” Mbali responded, quietly. “I did my best.”

“Yes, well done,” Diedrich agreed. “Perhaps you could become a champion; you have a good technique.”

Mbali looked pleased by Diedrich's words. 

“My turn, then,” Diamond announced, sitting in front of Diedrich. Diedrich’s arm was certainly getting tired, especially after fighting Mbali. It, however, was not tired enough to lose to Diamond who was just about as thin as Chase. 

Diedrich, feeling a little more fired up now that his opponent was Diamond, scooted his chair forward and confidently placed his arm on the table. 

Diamond smirked at him as they linked their middle fingers. 

This time, before Vincent did the countdown, he first put his hands over theirs and looked between them seriously. “I want a good, clean fight, gentlemen.”

Diedrich scoffed, giving Vincent a funny look. “There’s no need to worry about that. Just do the countdown.”

Vincent didn’t look too convinced but was smiling despite this. “One… two…”

Before Vincent reached three, Diedrich had locked eyes with Diamond who was giving him a very confident grin. Suddenly, between Vincent’s comment and Diamond’s expression, Diedrich got a bad feeling. 

Too late to back out now. 

“...three!”

Diamond began pulling and Diedrich easily held him in place. After a few seconds of stagnation, Diedrich started to wonder why he was thinking something bad was coming. He’d give Diamond a couple more seconds to see if he had any more strength left to actually pull Diedrich’s arm a bit. 

Then, it hit him. Or, rather, rubbed him. 

Diamond had a dirty trick up his sleeve: right before Diedrich was going to start pulling back, he felt what he assumed was Diamond’s shoe push into his groin making him freeze up and release the tension in his arm. This gave Diamond the opportunity to yank Diedrich with all his strength making Diedrich’s torso fall across the table. 

Diedrich laid there, dumbstruck. He could barely comprehend what had happened, as it all happened so fast. 

Diamond laughed, triumphantly. “Ha—I beat you, Mr. Strongman.”

Vincent, whose head was turned away, was also suppressing laughter. If there was one thing Diedrich hated more than being laughed at, it was Vincent laughing at him.

Diedrich gritted his teeth, his embarrassment catching up to him. “You _cheated_!”

“What~? How could you say that? I won fair and square, right Dot?” Diamond turned to Vincent who was trying to recover from his laughing fit. “You didn’t see any funny business, did you?”

“No, no, I did not,” Vincent gave, shrugging his shoulders. “It seems you’ve been bested, _Le Chien_ …”

Diedrich growled, standing from his seat. Unlike Lotus, Diedrich was a very sore loser, especially when the game wasn’t played fairly. At least the rest of the group was too caught up in the fight between Zuzu and Leo to notice Diedrich’s humiliating defeat. However, the one he _least_ wanted to witness that was Vincent. Not only did he see it, he _predicted_ it, making Diedrich feel like an even bigger fool. 

Diedrich settled by the bar, getting another beer from the barman, stewing. He didn’t want them to, but he knew that someone would try to patronize him. He had to say, however, he didn’t expect it to be Vincent. 

“You’re still such a sore loser,” Was the first thing Vincent said as he leaned against the bar to the left of Diedrich. 

Diedrich scoffed, “I’m only _sore_ when the game is not fair.” 

Vincent giggled, shortly. “I suppose you’re right. Anyway, I think it’s about time you and I had a private chat, don’t you think?”

Diedrich looked at him, then looked behind them to see if anyone was paying attention. Everyone seemed caught up in their merrymaking. Even Diamond had joined in, though he kept a little more distance from the group. 

Diedrich sighed, “Fine, let’s go. Keep an eye on them, _ja_?” Diedrich nodded to the bartender who nodded back. “Call me if you need me. I’ll be back soon.”

Diedrich led Vincent down the stairs only to overhear a heated conversation. The voices sounded like Mademoiselle Aline and Eric who disappeared downstairs a little earlier, saying they were preparing for the next day’s events. 

“You are certain?” Came Aline. 

“Y-yes Mademoiselle—he wants to meet with you about it tonight,” Eric responded, the tone of his voice very grim. 

Diedrich paused at the bottom of the stairs, noticing the silence that followed. Vincent stopped closely behind him. They waited there to see if they could hear anymore of the conversation before they entered the main stage hall. 

Mademoiselle Aline tutted and Diedrich could hear her fan snap shut. “Very well. If it must be done, it must be done. Now I must get back to the party.”

At this, Diedrich continued his way off the bottom of the stairwell and began on his way out of the curtains when Aline opened them at the end. 

Her eyes immediately locked on the two of them, her face stricken with worry. “What are you two doing down here?”

“We wanted to see if you were coming back up or not?” Diedrich offered, trying to be as convincing as possible. 

“Yes, it was getting quite lively up there after _Le Chien_ shared a new game with everyone,” Vincent added on, leaning his shoulder against Diedrich. “We were also hoping to find some peace and quiet ourselves, for a bit.”

Aline squinted at them but gave in because they gave her no reason to not believe them. She sighed, “ _Oui,_ I was just on my way back up.” She approached the two of them, her expression questioning. “But don’t think for a moment I don’t know why you two are _actually_ down here.”

Diedrich felt his heart stop. Did she know they were investigating? How much did she know? Was it a bluff?

“Why, whatever do you mean, Mademoiselle?” Vincent asked, always cool under pressure. 

“Bah! You know what I mean! You expect me to believe the two of you are merely good friends? I’m not _blind_.” She shoved past them, making her way to the stairs. “Just keep it clean, would you? We don’t need more stains!” With that, Aline climbed the stairs and Eric followed her shortly thereafter. 

“Uhm—I’m headed home, so, goodnight!” Eric waved with a nervous smile on his face, before shooting up the stairs after Aline. 

Then there were two. 

“These people _really_ think we are…?” Diedrich huffed, not able to finish his sentence. He didn’t know if it was because he was more embarrassed by the thought or more bitter that it was far from true. 

“I suppose we might seem like it… to outsiders,” Vincent commented, raising his brow. He gave Diedrich a strange look before walking past him, saying, “But, enough of that, let’s get to my room. We have lots to discuss.”

This expression made Diedrich pause. It was one he had not seen Vincent make before. Seeing as his ever-present smirk was missing and his condescending aura was doused, it was no surprise that Diedrich didn’t know what to make of such a face. And that definitely bothered him. 

* * *

In Vincent’s small room that felt like a jail cell, Vincent sat on his bed while Diedrich stood in the corner near the door. He pretended it was to keep an ear out in case anyone was outside the door, listening, but really, he couldn’t say he felt comfortable being in such close proximity with Vincent at that time. 

Additionally, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. His mind kept going back to what Vincent had said in the church: about how he knew what Diedrich and Diamond had done the night before. It bothered him more than he realized that Vincent knew about them; was it because he felt like he... _betrayed_ Vincent? A frustrating thought as Diedrich had made no promises to Vincent about such things.

“So, let’s start with what you saw this morning,” Vincent’s voice cut through Diedrich’s thoughts, making him stir in surprise. Vincent, upon witnessing this reaction, raised his brow, “Dee, are you quite alright?”

“ _Ja, ja,_ just lost in thought.” Diedrich ran a hand through his hair. He hated how much he overthought things when he was around Vincent; it was part of the reason why it was so exhausting to be on missions with him. “Uhm, Aline, she—gave a key to Eric. I could be mistaken, but it looked like the key to her office.” 

“Oh? How curious,” Vincent crossed his legs. “And we have yet to explore our tip-off from Mr. Reed… are you thinking that’s where they took our suspect? Not to the police?”

“Well, it would make sense. Aline wouldn’t want the attention of the police on her bar,” Diedrich sniffed, crossing his arms. 

“But where would that secret tunnel lead…?” Vincent speculated. They stayed in silence for a bit, Diedrich unsure of what he was supposed to say. He neither had ideas nor the wherewithal to think of any. Every second he was spending alone with Vincent he was getting more and more worked up, like any moment Vincent would suddenly become cross with him. 

Vincent, of course, noticed Diedrich’s timidity and Diedrich could tell the instant Vincent knew what was wrong. Even if both of them already knew that he knew, Vincent still asked, “What’s wrong, Dee?”

Diedrich shook his head with a sigh, “It’s—very obvious you know.”

“Okay, then, what’s the problem?” Vincent turned his gaze away, closing his eyes. “It’s not _my_ business who you bed, Dee.”

“You made it seem it was…” Diedrich mumbled, kind of hoping Vincent wouldn’t hear him.

“When did I do that?”

“At the church.”

“Please, I was just teasing you,” Vincent smiled, standing to face Diedrich. “I’m actually happy for you, you know?”

Diedrich was startled to hear that. “Really?”

Vincent smirked, his eyes half-lidded. “Of course. I worried you’d be a virgin forever.”

Diedrich was actually irked by this, his cheeks heating in embarrassment and anger, “You don’t have to put it that way!”

Vincent laughed, stepping closer to Diedrich and holding his shoulders. “Dear old, Dee… there’s no need to worry about such things,” Vincent paused, trying to get Diedrich to meet his gaze. Once he found it, Vincent’s eyes lingered on Diedrich’s face as his smile softened. Suddenly, Vincent patted Diedrich’s shoulders roughly, making Diedrich grunt. “I’m proud of you!”

Diedrich sneered at this proclamation, feeling better about his position under Vincent, but not about his own actions. “You don’t have to put it like _that_ either.”

“It’s fine, Dee.” Vincent shrugged, turned around, and returned to his bed. “Anyway, were you able to gain any insight from it?”

The way Vincent leaned back and looked at Diedrich over his shoulder, coyly, made Diedrich start.

“‘I-Insight’!?” Diedrich repeated. He was so alarmed by the implications that he felt his heart jump out of his chest. 

“About the mission, of course, Dee,” Vincent looked away and Diedrich felt his heart return to his chest again. _Oh, the mission…_ “Get your head out of the gutter now, Dee, we have to focus.”

“R-Right. Uhm, no, I did not,” Diedrich shifted his position against the wall, feeling more relaxed now that they got the elephant out of the room. “What about you? I haven’t heard much of your take on what’s going on?”

“Hmm… well, to tell you the truth, Dee, I haven't one, and most of what I _do_ know is merely speculation,” Vincent leaned his head in his hand. 

“What are you speculating?”

“For starters, I’m almost certain Aline is behind the disappearances of the nobles and that she is keeping them in that secret tunnel that Reed was talking about,” Vincent offered, casually. 

“That is quite the accusation. I cannot prove you wrong, however,” Diedrich responded, raising one of his brows. “I haven’t heard about any more disappearances since Gage left.”

“Well, we are quite literally living under a rock at the moment, Dee,” Vincent pointed out. “And, additionally, we might have assisted in procuring another victim for Aline so that she wouldn’t have to.”

Diedrich grunted, letting that sit for a moment. It sickened him to think he was assisting a murderer, but he didn’t regret bashing that perverted man’s face in and turning him over to people who would actually finish the job. He was a sick man and if the people who disappeared were under the same type of criteria, Diedrich didn’t think the perpetrators could be _that_ bad.

“No matter how bad the victims are, it doesn't give the perpetrators the right to kill them, Dee,” Vincent said, interrupting Diedrich’s thoughts as though he was reading his mind. 

“I know, Phantomhive, I know,” Diedrich sighed.

“I might be just as bad as them—would _you_ want _me_ to be kidnapped and killed?”

“Phantomhive!” Diedrich snapped, immediately approaching the side of the bed and kneeling next to Vincent. “Don’t you _dare_ compare yourself to them. You are doing something for the good of society—I mean, you work for the queen for God’s sake!” Diedrich hissed the last part out quietly, just in case someone was around to hear him. “You are _nothing_ like that perverted criminal or any of the other so-called ‘noblemen’ who disappeared. Do you hear me?” 

Vincent had a small smile on his face as he side-eyed Diedrich. Diedrich couldn't tell what he was thinking, as usual, but he hoped he was joking. Despite his shortcomings and conniving habits, Vincent was a good man. A very good man, in Diedrich’s opinion. 

Without saying anything else on the subject, Vincent held up his hand to Diedrich. “I didn’t get to challenge you to _fingerhakeln._ Mind if I give it a try?”

Diedrich paused, looking at Vincent’s hand in confusion for a moment, before he scoffed, “Uh, I suppose.” 

Diedrich took Vincent's middle finger in his and waited for Vincent’s countdown. “One, two… three!”

Diedrich clenched his arm and, immediately, Diedrich pulled Vincent forward. Diedrich flinched, thinking Vincent was going to fall on top of him. Diedrich opened one of his eyes and tutted when he saw Vincent was still sitting on the bed. “God, Phantomhive, what the hell was that? Did you even try!?”

As Vincent let out a short giggle, Diedrich couldn’t stop himself from noticing how close he was to Vincent’s face—possibly the closest he’d ever been since he had known Vincent. “Maybe, maybe not. I just wanted to feel for myself how powerful you are, Dee.” 

Diedrich’s nature around Vincent made certain they were not in each other’s space any closer than shoulder-to-shoulder for the exact feeling he was experiencing. Alone, together, in that tiny bedroom, suddenly so close, made Diedrich freeze and his heart pound. Vincent was so close, their noses would brush if Diedrich so much turned his head. It made his hair stand up and his breathing got heavier. His body suddenly wanted nothing more than to give in and finally meet the warmth of Vincent’s bare skin with his, as he’d long dreamed of doing, even though his mind was screaming at him to run. 

“Dee?” Vincent whispered. Vincent had caught on to Diedrich’s behavior and was now staring at him, still not moving away. 

Involuntarily, Diedrich’s eyes slowly traced down Vincent’s face to his lips, which were inches from Diedrich’s. It would take one single movement to close the gap. One single movement to ruin their relationship or change it indefinitely. One single movement to either open a new door or lock a cardinal one forever. 

The urge was almost too powerful—before Diedrich could stop himself, he inched his face closer to Vincent, wondering what it would feel like if their lips were to touch. Wondering what would happen if he let it. Diedrich’s moral code, however, sent out a red alert, making him stop and reminding him that his loyalties to Vincent lie elsewhere. He needed a strong protector and ally, not someone who took advantage of him any chance that he got. Even if Diedrich’s chances were few and far in between. 

Additionally, of course, Diedrich’s mind went to Diamond. He would be betraying _him_ , right? It wasn’t like they had much between them, yet Diedrich was faithful to a fault. He couldn’t do that to Diamond. It would be cruel to tell him one thing and do another. 

“I-I’m sorry, Phantomhive, I—“ Diedrich leaned away and scooted out from underneath Vincent’s gaze. Diedrich covered his eyes with one hand, blushing from both his adrenaline and his reaction to the situation. He must have looked like a fool! Staring at Vincent, doe-eyed. Attempting to close the distance!? _What_ was he _thinking_!? “I… don’t know what came over me. Forgive me.”

Vincent watched him for a moment before standing with a quick breath. “There’s nothing to forgive. We should get back to the party, anyway. They’ll be expecting us.” 

Vincent stepped out of the room and Diedrich watched him go, left on the floor with nothing to do but think about what just happened. He almost _kissed_ Vincent. He’d nearly broken an oath he made to himself years before to _never_ let himself slip. He hadn’t. Not until that moment.

Diedrich felt weak—like his barriers were invaded and he simply allowed it. Hell, he _wanted_ it. 

Rubbing his face in disappointment and frustration, Diedrich stood and followed Vincent out. 

Vincent had waited for him at the bottom of the stairs and they went up together in silence. The weight on Diedrich’s shoulders that he had lifted from their earlier conversation had returned and it felt as though it had increased tenfold. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until next week~~


	5. His Butler, Bound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being a little late on the update!! Busy day yesterday and I couldn't get on my computer in time. 
> 
> Here is the new chapter nonetheless!
> 
> Enjoy!

When Diedrich and Vincent emerged from the basement, they were not very pleased to hear what sounded like an argument ensuing from the bar. As Diedrich and Vincent made their way out of the back, cohesive words of abuse started forming.

“None of you boys,  _ none _ of you are free of sin and you  _ know _ that!” Aline’s naturally booming voice flew through the air like fire, “And yet you continue to fall further and further from grace!”

Diedrich stepped through the doorway to see all the boys were lined up, their heads hung in shame as Aline battered them with her words. 

“Ange,” She snapped, and Ange flinched like he had been hit, tears already brimming in his eyes. “It came as a surprise to everyone to learn that  _ you _ of all people came in  _ second _ . What could possibly be going on with you!?”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Mademoiselle!” Ange exclaimed, breaking down in tears. 

“Apologizing to me will not get you into Heaven!” Aline stomped her foot. “I am merely your protector—I allow you a safe space to repent for your sins and you pay me back like this in return!?” 

After this scathing statement, Diamond, who didn’t seem to be listening in the first place, scoffed. The whole room suddenly froze, the tension so high you could probably cut through it with a knife. Diedrich couldn’t believe how constricting it was—it was as though if anyone moved, Aline would pounce; right for their throat.

Aline herself was the one to break the silence, “ _ C'était quoi, Diamant? _ ”

No one dared to even look at Diamond and all Diedrich could do was watch. Aline had not noticed that he and Vincent had joined them upstairs again; it could give Diedrich the upper hand if anything too drastic happened, but it was not yet his place to step between Aline and her altercations. If he got too involved, Diedrich could lose his position as the guard. Then where would that leave him?

“Galatians 5:19-21:  _ ‘Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these _ ,” Diamond paused in his recitation, giving Aline a bold look. “‘ _ I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. _ ’ What sort of ‘protector’ perpetuates the very things that would deny us entry to God’s kingdom?” 

Immediately, Aline raised her hand and it cracked over Diamond’s cheek. Shock shot through the group as the sound echoed in Diedrich’s ears. He could only watch as Diamond fell backward, crashing into the table that stood behind him. 

Once Diamond officially collapsed to the floor, Aline started shouting again, “I took you— _ all  _ of you in when you had  _ nowhere _ else to go! I gave you work, a home—I  _ fed  _ you! The whole  _ point  _ of you attending Church regularly with Father Farley was so that you would be preserved by his holy hand! Yet I can’t help but feel you’ve taken his and  _ my  _ generosity for granted,” Aline’s attention went solely from Diamond who was wiping his bleeding lip, to the rest of the group. “I hope that Diamond’s example will knock some sense into the rest of you! Especially  _ you,  _ Ange!”

Aline grabbed Ange’s wrist, yanking him around violently as he cried out in fear and pain. “You! You were supposed to be my angel!”

“Mademoiselle, please!” Ange shrieked, his cheeks flooding with tears. “I’m sorry!”

When Aline raised a hand over Ange, Diedrich knew it was time for him to interfere, no matter the stakes. 

Before Aline could strike Ange, Diedrich grabbed her wrist. She reeled on Diedrich who gave her a solemn look. “Mademoiselle. That’s enough.”

Mademoiselle Aline’s eyes widened and her gaze turned to the other boys. The younger ones, like Zuzu and Aais, were crying and covering their eyes as Chase comforted them, while Lotus and Mbali both helped Diamond up from where he fell against the table. Leo stood alone amongst them, his head remaining low so it was hard to see if he was crying or not as well. 

Aline found Diedrich’s face again, as though she had realized what she had done. Her face twisted in regret and she practically threw Ange into Diedrich. With a yelp, Ange slammed into Diedrich and he immediately ran behind Diedrich, his arms around his waist. 

Aline’s voice shook as she commanded Diedrich, “Take…  _ everyone… _ and lock them in their rooms.”

Diedrich gave the group a steady gaze. Once he nodded, they started on their way down, Vincent guiding them from behind Diedrich. 

Without another word, Aline turned on her heel and left the bar, throwing the door open and disappearing into the darkness of the streets of London. 

Eric, who stood by just as frozen as the rest of them, stepped in front of Diedrich and said, meekly, “I-I’ll lock up—just take the boys downstairs.”

Diedrich didn’t respond but silently agreed. Firstly, however, he addressed Ange who had his face shoved into Diedrich’s back as he sobbed. With a gentle touch, Diedrich twisted to put a hand onto Ange’s back. He quaked beneath Diedrich’s fingers but, eventually, his sodden face looked up at Diedrich with a sniff. 

“It’s okay,” Diedrich whispered, keeping an arm around Ange as he urged him to start to move downstairs. “Come on.”

* * *

It took a while to console the children enough for them to feel comfortable to fall asleep. If Diedrich didn’t have Vincent’s help, it probably would have taken longer. Diedrich didn’t play a part in helping Diamond, as he and the brothers had disappeared into one of their rooms before he could see him, but he did help to soothe Ange who was almost inconsolable. 

He had fingerprint-like bruises on his wrist from where Aline had mishandled him, making it even harder to calm him. Eventually, Ange had cried so much that he exhausted himself. Chase practically rocked him to sleep, petting his hair and wiping his tears while Vincent tucked in the others. 

Diedrich noticed, as well, that Leo was the first one among the kids to get up in his top bunk. He ignored Vincent when he inquired about his state, as he faced the wall, his blanket pulled over his head. It was only when Vincent gave in to attempting to comfort Leo that he said something, loud enough for the room to hear it. 

“She only yelled because she cares about us. She protects us.”

A somber quiet fell over the group, all the children looking down doubtfully in response to Leo’s words. 

Vincent, upon seeing this reaction, said, “If she truly cared, she wouldn’t hurt you.”

“She doesn’t mean to!” Leo threw off his covers, whirling on Vincent. “She was just upset, is all!”

“Leo, darling, when  _ you’re  _ upset, do you hurt others?” Chase interjected.

Leo paused, his expression wavering. “No.”

“Well, then?”

Leo didn’t respond for a moment as he thought about what was said to him. Then, in a mumble as he laid back down, replied, “She still protects us…”

Vincent and Diedrich shared a look and Vincent shrugged, not wanting to try to convince a boy who seemed unwilling to be convinced. 

Once all the young ones were in bed, it was hard for Diedrich to lock the door for the night. It felt wrong of him to still listen to Aline after her tantrum, but it also felt safer since Diedrich would know where they were if they needed anything. 

Chase sighed when they were finally outside of the kids’ room, stretching his arms above his head. “Well, that was absolute bollocks.”

Vincent let out a short laugh, “I’d drink to that.”

“I’d  _ like  _ another drink,” Chase countered, making his way out of the dressing room. Both Diedrich and Vincent followed behind him, Diedrich staying silent. “I heard that Diamond was selected at the church this morning, but I did not hear that  _ Ange  _ was second. That was quite the shock. What’dya think it was?”

“Don’t know,” Vincent responded, then tilted his head toward Diedrich. “Do you?”

Diedrich shook his head. Of course he wouldn’t know. To him, the Father’s selection process seemed like  _ pferdescheiße _ . There was no way to tell if someone was guilty of sin or not just by looking at them, no matter how pious they were. 

“Whatever it is, I’m certain Ange is repenting,” Chase breathed, lazily. “Anyhow, I’m utterly knackered. Hurry and lock me up, Le Chien, I want to rest.”

“ _ Ja _ ,” Diedrich quickened his pace to escort Chase to his room, opening the door for him and watching him as he sashayed in. 

Chase twirled around before Diedrich shut the door and leaned on the doorway. “You’re quite brave for standing up to the Mademoiselle, you know? I don’t think even Gage would have stepped in. Then again, he  _ was _ a top-class bastard.”

Diedrich, again, didn’t have any words to respond. He just nodded. 

After a moment, Chase took a quick breath and said, “Sure you won’t come in?”

“Ugh, Chase, good night,” Diedrich responded, once again having to force the door shut and lock it, despite Chase’s protests. Diedrich shook his head, his attention switching to Vincent who was standing in Diamond’s doorway one door down, his arms crossed. 

“Why are you standing there, staring at me?” Diamond’s voice demanded from inside the room. 

“Are you alright?” Vincent asked as Diedrich joined him in front of the doorway.

“Why wouldn’t I be, Dot?” Diamond, who was laying down, his back on Mbali’s lap and his head resting on Lotus’s thigh, scowled. 

Mbali nodded to Vincent, as though answering his question. 

“Just a split lip and a bit of a sour mood is all,” Lotus added with an unconvincing smile. 

“Well, since it appears you’re not about to die, it’s time to lock up, I’m afraid,” Vincent explained as Diedrich held up his keys for proof. 

Diamond tutted but sat up nonetheless. “Go on, then. Get out, you two.”

“Good night, Diamond. I hope you feel better in the morning,” Lotus leaned over to Diamond and kissed his forehead. Mbali did the same and Diamond accepted them both, gratefully. 

“Thanks. Good night,” Diamond responded, curtly. 

When Lotus and Mbali were out of the room, Diedrich reached to shut the door, catching Diamond’s gaze for a moment before fully closing and locking it. Something about the look informed Diedrich that this would not be the last time he talked with Diamond that night. Although, he hoped he was wrong.

Once Lotus and Mbali were safely in their rooms, the only ones remaining were Diedrich and Vincent. The silence wasn’t awkward, by any means, just—silent. Neither of them really had anything to say to the other, about what occurred or about their earlier conversation that left Diedrich out of sorts. 

Diedrich sniffed as he opened Vincent’s door again, revealing the little room that held a lot of their secrets. 

“Well, good night, Dee,” Vincent said, in a hushed tone. “Do sleep well, alright? And try not to think too hard about today. We can figure it out tomorrow.”

“ _ Ja _ . Good night.” Before Diedrich shut the door, he stopped and said one last thing: “And, Phantomhive—thank you.”

Vincent appeared as though he wanted to ask what the gratitude was for, but Diedrich already shut and locked the door before he could. 

Gently, Diedrich rested his forehead against the wooden door, closing his eyes as though he was sending a silent prayer that Vincent would understand even if Diedrich didn’t explain. He was bearing down on his feelings harshly, attempting to once again bury them; but every vision of Vincent, every word, every touch kept digging them back up again. He wanted Vincent to know that he was grateful for keeping him around, even if he was emotionally a burden. What must Vincent think of Diedrich? A servant to Vincent’s whims, yet Diedrich couldn’t stop his taboo emotions from growing, no matter how long he remained Vincent’s dog. He must be somewhat repulsed, at least. 

Diedrich stepped away from the door with a huff, wondering if he could take Vincent’s advice about not thinking too much about everything. That was one of Diedrich’s major flaws—overthinking things. Since Vincent knew that, it was probably the main reason he said it. He was worried Diedrich would overthink his actions. Too late for that, though.

Diedrich entered his room-for-one, slowly shutting the door behind him. It was utterly silent, almost as though no one was even  _ breathing. _ Diedrich didn’t want to be the one to interrupt that silence. Everyone was having their own time to themselves, their own time to think. Maybe that’s why Vincent told Diedrich not to since it would cloud his mind with unnecessary things.

Diedrich, attempting to follow Vincent’s advice, slowly undressed, washed his face, and drank some water. The moon’s light that was shining through the basement window was enough to illuminate the room and Diedrich figured it was full tonight. 

Having finished getting ready for bed, Diedrich was about to lie down to sleep when, suddenly, one of the bells on his wall rang for the first time he had been there. It was a short, timid ring, almost as though the one responsible was hesitant. 

Diedrich glanced up and saw that the request for attendance came from none other than Diamond’s room.

If there was one thing Diedrich wanted less right then than to still be in that basement, it was talking to Diamond. He felt guilty for not helping him, practically ignoring him, and for what felt like using him. Despite his reservations, Diedrich had a duty to attend to. 

Stiffly, he made his way down the hall to the last room, taking a deep breath before getting his key and unlocking it. 

He knocked, briefly, before guiding the door open, slowly. When he was able to see inside, Diedrich found Diamond laying in his bed, pillows framing his body, scarcely clad in a sheer robe with what appeared to be nothing beneath it. Diedrich’s heart dropped to his stomach and he tried not to stare, but he felt like that’s exactly what Diamond wanted him to do. 

“Did you need something?” Diedrich asked, his voice as stern as he could make it. 

Diamond let out a short laugh, “So formal,” Diamond sat up, arching his back as he did so. “I think you know why I called you, Le Chien.”

As Diamond stood to meet him, Diedrich stepped inside, building up the nerve to turn Diamond down. No matter how hard that would be, Diedrich at least had to try. He couldn’t keep leading Diamond on. Not while he was still so involved with Vincent. It felt wrong, even if his whole identity was already a secret. On top of that, it couldn't be possible that Diamond was well enough after the events of the day to even think this through. Hell, Diedrich didn’t know if he could either. Diamond was hard to resist but Diedrich had to be stronger.

Diamond reached Diedrich as the door clicked shut and immediately his lips found Diedrich’s. Diedrich melted as his body tension dropped, leaning in to Diamond’s kiss like one would cling to a lifeboat. In his sea of uncertainty, Diamond felt like a shore. Treacherous and covered with jagged rocks, but a shore nonetheless.

Diamond weaved his fingers into Diedrich’s hair as he sighed from Diedrich’s enthusiastic response. Diedrich could taste the blood from where Aline split his lip, but that did nothing to change how lovely he was to kiss. For a moment, Diedrich thought that he couldn’t possibly stop himself, but his mind kept tugging at him; distracting him from what was almost the perfect kiss. Exactly the thing that would completely drown out his thoughts. Exactly the thing Diedrich needed to heed Vincent’s advice...

Between breaths, Diedrich whispered, “Diamond.”

Diamond hummed in response, his arms wrapped around Diedrich’s neck. 

“Diamond, wait,” Diedrich was able to bring himself to pull Diamond’s arms from around his neck before he fell too far into the feeling. Diamond did pause, his expression almost needy. “Why are you doing this? Aren’t you already in enough trouble?”

At this, Diamond laughed, dryly, spinning away, his robe slipping off his shoulders. “There’s no need to worry. I already prayed tonight.”

Diedrich dropped his brow, “That’s not what I mean…”

Diamond turned around once again, reaching down and taking Diedrich’s hands pulling him toward his bed. “It’s fine, Le Chien, I’m the favorite; they can't be rid of me, even if I’m a bad boy,” he grunted as he fell back on the bed, encouraging Diedrich to do the same. Diedrich situated himself over Diamond, uncertainly, before Diamond paused, his expression concerned. “Actually, let’s switch.”

Diedrich, a little perplexed, did as he was instructed, watching as Diamond sat up. He guided Diedrich toward him, both on their knees, until they were flush against each other. Then, to Diedrich’s surprise, Diamond pushed him with enough force to knock him down onto the bed. 

Diedrich was stunned as Diamond guided his long legs over Diedrich’s hips, taking a seat there. It was then that Diedrich noticed Diamond was wearing a garter and sheer stockings. His heart skipped a bit. 

“Do you like them? I thought you might,” Diamond leaned over Diedrich's chest to kiss him again. Between kisses, Diamond said, “Let’s skip the undressing part, shall we?”

Before Diedrich realized it, Diamond had already undone the buttons on his pants and was eagerly reaching in. Diedrich jumped, his hand shooting down to grab Diamond’s wrist to stop him. 

“Wait, wait, wait,” Diedrich sat himself up, pushing Diamond back. 

“What? But I bought the oils today,” Diamond pouted under Diedrich’s strict gaze. “I thought you liked it…”

“I do—I mean—ugh, of course I do, it’s just,” Diedrich trailed off, looking at the stone wall beside him. “I feel… disloyal.”

“‘Disloyal’? How?” Diamond suddenly looked on the defense, pushing away from Diedrich. “Was it Chase?” 

“What? No, of course not, that’s not what I mean—“ Diedrich sat up as Diamond dismounted him, wrapping himself in his sheer robe and crossing his arms. 

“It was  _ him,  _ wasn’t it? Dot?” Diamond scoffed, flicking his hair out of his face. “I knew you weren’t just friends. I fucking knew it.” 

“Wait, that’s not what I’m trying to say—“

“I think you should leave,” Diamond turned his back to Diedrich, his head low. Diedrich sighed, sitting up and settling on the edge of the bed. Before he stood to leave like Diamond asked, he noticed several bright red and black marks standing out against Diamond’s pale skin on his rear end. Even through his robe, they were easy to pick out. 

“Wait, what is that?” Diedrich leaned forward, taking a fistful of Diamond's robe and pulling him back toward the bed. 

“What do you think you’re doing!?” Diamond swatted at Diedrich’s hand, but nothing he could do would stop Diedrich from getting a closer look. 

“Pull up your robe, let me see,” Diedrich demanded. 

Diamond went quiet for a second, his fiery attitude suddenly blown out since he caught on to what Diedrich was getting at. “You don’t need to look closer… it’s humiliating.”

“Did the Father do this to you?” Diedrich asked, his fingers tracing the marks that almost had a handprint-like shape. Diedrich’s anger flared upon seeing that. 

“No,” Diamond responded, “I did it to myself.”

“What do you mean? I can see the ring marks, clearly!” Diedrich snapped, shaking his head in frustration. He wished he throttled that priest when he had the chance. He knew there was something off about him. 

“I deserved it. I haven’t been praying. I haven’t been faithful,” Diamond’s voice was more timid than Diedrich had heard it before. 

“So that grants him the freedom to  _ abuse _ you?” Diedrich nearly shouted. He knew he needed to keep his voice down, but when Diedrich got worked up it was hard for him to be quiet, especially when Vincent wasn’t there to calm him. 

Diamond didn’t respond. Instead, he turned back to Diedrich closing the distance and embracing him. Diedrich’s head was in the nook of Diamond’s chest, below his collarbone and between his ribs, right where he could clearly hear Diamond’s heart pounding. 

It took Diedrich a moment (not having grown up in the most affectionate house) to return the gesture, wrapping his arms around Diamond’s waist. He could hear Diamond sniff and wondered if he was crying. When something hot dripped onto Diedrich’s head, he knew Diamond was. Diedrich wasn’t sure what to say, so he remained still, letting Diamond hold him for as long as he needed. 

“Please… I don’t…,” Diamond hiccuped, more tears falling into Diedrich’s hair. “I don’t want to die.”

Diedrich was shocked by his words. Die? What was he talking about?

“God won’t accept me… I-I’ll have nowhere to go when I do,” Diamond continued, rubbing his head against Diedrich’s. “Don’t let me die, okay?”

“You’re not going to die,” Diedrich responded, brushing his hand down Diamond’s back, soothingly. “Not while you're here with me. I’ll protect you.”

Diamond sniffed again, finally letting go of Diedrich’s head and looking down at him, his eyes red and watering. “I believe you.”

“I’m glad about that, at least,” Diedrich managed a smile and Diamond aggressively wiped away his tears.

“This is so embarrassing,” Diamond commented, his face returning to its usual angry pout, except his nose and cheeks which were blotched red. “I don’t even know your real name yet here I am, embracing you. Telling you secrets.”

Diedrich hesitated, wondering if he should still say to Diamond what he was trying to tell him before this moment. Diedrich sighed, thinking it would be better if he did. “I almost… kissed Dot tonight. When we were talking.”

“‘Almost’?” Diamond repeated, rubbing his nose. “You mean you had the chance but you didn’t take it? What’s the matter with you, dummy?”

To Diedrich’s surprise, Diamond conked him on the side of his head with the heel of his hand. “Hey!”

“You’re in love with him. I already know that and so do you,” Diamond enunciated, shrugging. Diedrich tried to ignore how much it struck him when that was said out loud. “I don’t see a problem in chasing that.”

“I thought you were mad about it!?” Diedrich hissed, trying to control his annoyance. 

“I was mad because I thought you lied to me and you  _ were _ fucking him,” Diamond defended, putting his hands on his hips. “You’re nervous about  _ nearly  _ kissing him!”

Alright, in hindsight, that does seem ridiculous. “Sorry, I suppose.”

Diamond tutted. He twirled and sat himself down next to Diedrich on the bed with his arms crossed. “Well, that definitely ruined the mood.”

Diedrich didn’t really respond. He was, in a way, glad the mood was sullied. Yet, at the same time, he  _ did _ like Diamond and was curious about where the night could go if he let it. Diamond could take Diedrich to another place he would never otherwise go—but it still wouldn’t sit right with Diedrich in that moment.

Diamond leaned against Diedrich, his head resting on Diedrich’s shoulder. “You won’t leave yet, will you?” 

Diedrich thought for a moment. He could go back to his room but then he would be alone with his thoughts again and, no matter how well that had been going, Diedrich did not feel like being alone. For the first time in his life, Diedrich was comfortable relaxing next to someone. Diamond’s inconsequential presence and attitude made it easier on Diedrich. If he thought about it, when he was with Vincent was when he was probably the tensest. For hundreds of different reasons. Since Diamond didn’t really know anything about Diedrich except his fake identity, Diedrich didn’t feel like he had to prove himself every second. Diamond had only known Diedrich as his protector and secret lover. And Diedrich had only known Diamond as a performer and his  _ first _ lover. Their lack of history made it easy for Diedrich to say, “ _ Nein _ . I’ll stay.”

Diamond’s golden eyes met Diedrich’s green, sparkling with hope. “You will?”

“ _ Ja, _ ” Diedrich moved several pillows in order to lay down behind Diamond. It had been a long day  _ and _ night. Diedrich really wanted to sleep and move on, even if the next day was uncertain.

Diamond looked down at Diedrich where he laid on the bed. “Wait, we’re just going to sleep?”

“Uh,  _ ja _ ,” Diedrich responded, slightly confused. “What else?”

“Well, if you’re going to stay, can’t we at least fuck?” Diamond questioned despite laying down next to Diedrich. 

Diedrich, finally feeling used to Diamond's vulgar language, chuckled. “Is that all you think about?” 

Diamond wiggled to adjust his position, pressing his face into his pillow. “Hm, no…”

Diedrich huffed, not really believing him. 

“Okay, maybe,” Diamond rescinded as Diedrich brushed his platinum hair behind his ear. They sat in silence for a long while, the candles slowly running out of wax. It was peaceful for the first time Diedrich had been at the Lion’s Den—no emergencies, no rebellions. Even if the peace was brought about by strife.

It was nearly completely dark in Diamond’s room by the time he spoke again. “My real name is… Noah.”

Diedrich was surprised by this information, partly because he wasn’t expecting it and partly because he didn’t think Diamond had any other name. “Noah, huh?”

“Yeah. Someone should know, I suppose,” Diamond scooted closer to Diedrich who was on his back. “It’s an ugly name.”

Diedrich didn’t respond to that. He didn’t think it was ugly; certainly, it wasn’t as glamorous as ‘Diamond’, but it suited him just the same. It felt nice to Diedrich to have gained so much trust from a man he’d barely known for four days, much different from Vincent who had kept Diedrich at arm's length for four  _ years _ . In a leap-of-faith moment, Diedrich responded, “Diedrich.”

Diamond sat up, looking at him. “‘Diedrich’?”

“ _ Ja _ . Don’t tell anyone. And don’t tell anyone I told you, either.”

“Hmm, no,” Diamond snuggled up to Diedrich again, this time Diedrich had his arm around him. He could hear the smile in Diamond’s voice. “I think I’ll keep it for myself…”

“ _ Güd _ ,” Diedrich took a deep breath, settling down for sleep with one hand around Diamond and another supporting his head. He tried to focus on sleeping but he could feel Diamond, who was laying his head on Diedrich’s chest, was still very awake. Diedrich wondered if he would want to know what thoughts were swimming through Diamond’s brain at that moment. Maybe his vulnerability was getting the better of him, having shared his real name with Diedrich. Diedrich, having gone by his name his whole life, felt better now that Diamond knew it.

It appeared that Diedrich  _ would _ get to know what Diamond was thinking because in the last seconds of light that was left in the room, he sat his head up and said, “Diedrich—would you still fuck me knowing my name is Noah?”

Diedrich groaned and rolled over. “No more of that, go to sleep.”

Diamond whined, “No, no, I’m serious!”

“ _ Gute nacht _ ,” Diedrich responded, insistently. 

Diamond grunted in annoyance, falling back down on the bed, roughly. 

Diedrich forcibly shut his eyes, trying to bring about sleep without saying another word to Diamond. His ears, however, were wide open and listening to every sound that came from his bed partner. 

Diamond rolled over and Diedrich couldn’t tell which direction he was in until he felt Diamond’s fingers tracing circles in his back. “I… I had another lover, you know? Before you.”

Diedrich, interest piqued, asked, “The one that died?”

“Yes,” Diamond took a deep breath and sighed. “He was one of the victims, you see—of the murders. I never knew his real name and he never knew mine, but… we were close.”

Diedrich’s eyes were open again, staring at the wall and letting Diamond’s words sink in. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s over now, but, it hurt like a bitch at the time,” Diamond replied. Diedrich turned over again to look at Diamond, making certain he wasn’t crying. Diamond glanced up at Diedrich then back down. “You… make me forget that pain, though. When you’re here.”

Diedrich’s heart swelled a little, never having heard something so kind yet so strange at the same time. Diedrich, a man who had convinced himself that he could never be happy or never make another happy, was suddenly being told that’s exactly what he was doing. Yes, in his own way, Diamond made Diedrich happy as well. Even if Diamond wasn’t the most ideal when it came to personality, Diedrich figured it would be hypocritical of him to complain when his first love was Vincent. 

Diamond rolled on his side to meet Diedrich, his hands resting against Diedrich’s chest and his head curling down to meet them. It was then that the candle finally fizzed out and Diedrich could no longer see anything; he could only feel Diamond’s warmth next to him and the slow in and out of his breathing. 

In the darkness, Diamond whispered one last thing, just audible enough for Diedrich to hear something familiar: “Thanks…”

* * *

The next morning, Diedrich woke up to the light of a candle and Diamond was nowhere to be found. The bed next to Diederich was empty which immediately made Diedrich panic. Did he oversleep again!?

A few seconds later, Diamond opened the door to his room, drying his hair with a towel around his neck. 

He was completely naked, which took Diedrich even more by surprise, making him blush and turn his head away. 

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Diamond’s voice was soft, “I hope you don’t mind, but I borrowed your keys.” Diamond held them up for Diedrich to see. Diedrich resisted the urge to snatch them. Pretty irresponsible of Diedrich not to keep them somewhere Diamond can’t reach. Then again, there weren’t that many places Diamond hadn’t already gotten to... 

“Hah,” Diedrich huffed, rubbing his face. 

“I let everyone out bright and early for you. It is bath day, after all,” Diamond continued, toweling himself off as though the fact that he was naked in front of someone was a completely casual type of situation.

“Bath day?” Diedrich repeated, never hearing about this. If it was true, he definitely wanted part in it. Diedrich had gone nearly a week without a bath and he wasn’t used to it. 

“Yes. Eric brings down some fresh, hot pails of water and we each have a bath,” Diamond explained further, reaching for his robe. Not the sheer one, thank goodness. 

Diedrich took his keys back, sitting up and stretching his stiff neck and shoulders. He grunted in pain; why did he hurt so much? Maybe it was because Diedrich wasn’t used to sleeping in a bed next to another person. The bed was definitely not big enough for two, no matter how skinny Diamond was.

“Need a massage? I’m quite good at them,” Diamond offered with a soft smile, but Diedrich shook his head. 

“ _ Nein,  _ I need a bath. Where is it?” 

“In the changing room. It’s the kids’ turn now, but I’m sure you’ll get a chance,” Diamond responded, tying his robe. “In the meantime, how about breakfast? Aline hasn’t shown up yet, so it seems it will be a peaceful one. I’ll get dressed and join you in a bit?”

Diedrich sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “ _ Ja _ .” 

At breakfast, there appeared to be leftover food from the previous night's party (the one that ended in disaster) along with the usual bread and water. Diedrich was grateful for that. At least he’d have more fuel to get him through what was bound to be a tough day. 

The only other person in the main hall was Vincent, who was sitting up as straight as his usual earl-self at one of the tables. He actually had a cup of tea next to him, of which Diedrich assumed was a result of Vincent’s highly effective cajoling used against Eric.

Diedrich noticed once again, like the previous morning, he wasn’t catching Vincent’s eye. As he grabbed breakfast, (water, bread, leftover dried pork), Diedrich’s attention didn’t move from where Vincent sat. 

Once he had a satisfactory amount stacked on his plate, he turned his body toward Vincent, practically staring. But Vincent did not look over or acknowledge Diedrich’s presence in the main stage hall.

Diedrich, hoping that Vincent had put the previous night behind him, approached Vincent’s table. Like Diamond, Vincent was also wearing his robe as he sat, sipping his tea. Noticeably as well, his hair was still wet from bathing. 

“ _ Guten morgen, _ ” greeted Diedrich, not thinking it was okay yet for him to sit down at Vincent’s table. He wanted permission first; it was only polite. 

Vincent, upon hearing Diedrich’s voice, jumped, his consciousness seeming to come back from another world. “Oh, De—Le Chien, good morning.”

“May I sit?”

“Please, of course,” Vincent gestured to the seat across from him. “Did you need something?”

“No, no… just sitting to eat,” Diedrich responded. 

At this, however, Vincent and Diedrich paused, staring at each other. It was noticeable how it felt like Diedrich was putting on an act in front of Vincent, almost as though they were strangers again. 

Vincent snickered, suddenly. “Okay, yes, please, feel free to sit and eat!”

Diedrich groaned, feeling embarrassed somehow. Once again, Diedrich was overthinking things and making them more awkward than they should be. “Whatever! Forget it!” Diedrich shoved some food in his mouth, chewing aggressively as Vincent tried to stop himself from laughing more. “It’s not that funny.”

“It’s not, no, you’re just acting quite darling.” Vincent leaned onto the table. “It’s amusing to me.”

“‘Darling’? Ugh, don’t be gross…” Diedrich took a gulp of water.

“That’s more like it.” Vincent gave Diedrich his usual perfect smile before continuing: “I heard you spent the night with Diamond.”

Immediately, Diedrich knew he was going to choke so he quickly cleared his throat with a lot of aggression. “Wha-wha—who told you that?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Vincent said, basically putting a lid on the subject (which Diedrich was grateful for). Although he was still curious as to how Vincent seemed to know everything. Vincent gave Diedrich a contented look, making him remember what Vincent had said before—about Diedrich’s relationship with Diamond. About how he was… happy for him. Something about it still didn’t sit right with him, but Diedrich couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

Diedrich grunted, electing to be the one to change the subject. “The tea—where did you get it?’

“Oh, Mr. McKnight was a dear and brewed some for me,” Vincent explained, exactly as Diedrich figured. “It’s not good, but it’s better than none.”

“Is that so?” Diedrich responded, mindlessly. 

The two of them sat quietly for a bit. It was the first time they had any alone time that wasn’t locked away in Vincent’s room since they had been there. It was early morning, so there wasn’t much on their minds; especially since Aline wasn’t there to dictate their every move or keep an eye on them. Diedrich thought about how he and Vincent never really talked about anything outside of things mission-related—it was one of the reasons Diedrich liked being around Vincent so much. There was no pressure to act a certain way, no pressure for small talk; even if Diedrich was interested occasionally.

“I was thinking about it, Dee,” Vincent started, setting down his teacup after having a short sip. “And I’ve decided not to accept your gratitude.”

Diedrich was confused for a moment. He stopped chewing, trying to figure out what Vincent was referring to, then he remembered what he had said last night. “What? Why?”

“There’s nothing for you to be thankful for. I haven’t done you any services, so I do not accept your gratitude,” Vincent explained, casually. For some reason, this rubbed Diedrich the wrong way but he couldn’t exactly say why. 

“That is absurd. I can be thankful for whatever I want and you have no choice but to accept it,” Diedrich argued, finishing off his breakfast with his last gulps of water. 

“ _ Au contraire _ , Dee,  _ you  _ have no choice but to accept what  _ I  _ say,” Vincent countered. “When I perform a service for you, then you can thank me.”

Diedrich scoffed, “I don’t understand you.”

“ _ C’est la vie. _ ”

Diedrich stood, then, gathering his plate and cup. “I am going to bathe. Aline could be here any moment and I don’t want to miss a chance for an actual bath. I’ll speak with you later.”

“Certainly.” Vincent seemed rather pleased with himself, lacing his fingers in front of him and leaning his head on them. “Have a lovely bath.”

“You’re strange.” Diedrich rolled his eyes and turned to go as soon as Diamond entered the main hall. He was dressed and ready for the day, his outfit slightly different from his usual. He had a feathery, skirt-like thing wrapped around his waist that covered his butt. It looked nice, but Diedrich wished it was for that reason alone.

“Done eating already?” Diamond asked, his eyebrows raised. 

“ _ Ja _ , I have to have time to bathe before Aline gets here,” Diedrich explained, leaving his plate in the dish bucket. 

“Well, don’t take too long, I want you to watch me practice,” Diamond teased, tracing a finger under Diedrich’s chin. This gesture made Diedrich blush. 

“Uh, sure,” Diedrich replied shortly, before shuffling away. He glanced behind him to see if Vincent was looking. Sure enough, he was, even if it was out of the corner of his eye. Diedrich tried to ignore that. 

In the back area, on the far end of the dressing room, there was a part of the room sectioned off by sheets. Behind it, Diedrich got undressed and sat down on a little stool next to the tub. The water was cold when Diedrich got to it, as expected, but a cold bath was better than no bath.

Using a single bar of soap and a washcloth, Diedrich scrubbed his chest, shoulders, underarms, etc. The one place he couldn’t reach was his back. At home in Germany, Diedrich had a special sponge on a stick to get to those hard-to-reach places. Then again, Diedrich actually had a tub big enough for him to sit in, whereas here, sitting before him, was an oversized bucket instead. Things were very different in this situation.

“Did you want me to wash your back?” Ange’s voice suddenly sounded from behind Diedrich, making him jump. Ange must have noticed, since he said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t spying, I swear, I was just… wondering.”

Diedrich sighed, more out of exasperation than annoyance. Ange was a curious one. He’d hardly left Diedrich alone since he got there. However, seeing as Ange was already there and willing, Diedrich conceded. “Sure, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, no, of course, I don’t!” Ange entered the curtained corner, eagerly taking the washcloth Diedrich slung over his shoulder. Gently and slowly, Ange started in circles around Diedrich’s shoulder blades. He was quiet as he did so and Diedrich didn’t know if that made it more awkward. “You’re back is very strong.”

“ _ Danke _ ,” Diedrich responded stiffly. The silence returned again as Ange’s washing went lower, to the middle of Diedrich’s back. The silence felt forced, as though Diedrich were waiting for Ange to speak up about something. 

After a little bit longer, Ange finally said, “I didn’t get to thank you yesterday… for saving me from the Mademoiselle.”

“There’s nothing to thank,” Diedrich wiped his hand down his chin, thinking he could use a shave. “She was out of line and I pulled her back.”

“Yes, but,” Ange paused again, “if you weren’t there, she might have hurt me more. So, thank you for protecting me. For protecting us.”

Diedrich took a short breath, “ _ Bitte. _ ”

“What?”

“‘ _ Bitte _ ’? It is German for ‘you’re welcome,’” Diedrich explained. 

“Oh, right… I don’t speak much German,” Ange admitted. He had long since finished washing Diedrich’s back, but he was going over it again almost as though he didn’t want to stop. “I speak English and French, but not German. I’d like to though. I’d like to learn a lot of languages.”

“That’s good. Maybe you can learn it in school one day,” Diedrich responded. 

Ange smiled, “School… I’d like that very much.” 

The wistfulness in Ange’s voice made Diedrich's heart squeeze a bit. Diedrich wanted nothing more at that moment than to grant Ange the freedom to go to school and learn new things. Stuck in this pit and its nightly visits from perverts must have been harsh on these boys—even the older ones. 

Diedrich turned towards Ange, to his surprise, stopping him from washing his back anymore. “You’re finished, right?”

“Oh, sorry, yes,” Ange blinked, as though he were lost in the task. “I’ll go now, then. I’ve got to get ready.”

“ _ Ja _ . Uh… thanks for… you know,” Diedrich nodded.

Ange smiled back at him, “ _ Bitte _ !” 

As Ange left the curtains, Diedrich couldn’t help but smile. It was strange to him that the people he met during this mission were more sincere and kinder than any other nobleman Diedrich was displeased to meet. They had practically nothing and yet they were grateful for all that they did have. Diedrich almost felt privileged to be their protector. Yet he wanted to give them more than his protection...

After drying off and re-dressing, Diedrich exited the dressing room and made his way to the main hall, where he heard a familiar voice giving instructions. None of the boys were in the dressing room, so that meant they were all getting ready for the show and Aline was back to instruct them. 

“I want a perfect show tonight, understood?” Aline’s commanding voice boomed. “Your timing, dancing, smiling—everything must be  _ exquisite _ , am I clear?”

“Yes, Mademoiselle!” The line up of boys responded. Diedrich made his way to his corner, watching on. 

“I have one final announcement before you all begin practice,” Aline continued, her arms behind her back as she made her way down the line. She stopped where Vincent was, turning to him. “Dot, tonight you will be doing the main showcase in Diamond’s stead.”

“What!?” Diamond demanded, outraged. “Whatever for!?”

“Quiet. You need to learn your lesson. A spotlight and special attention are not given to those who are unworthy of them,” Aline scolded. “You will have to earn your place at the top back.”

Diamond was not content with this, but despite his daring attitude, he did not challenge Aline any further on the subject. He simply scoffed and looked away, obviously resentful. Diedrich couldn’t help but feel bad for him. Performing was essentially Diamond’s whole world and having what he assumed was immunity ripped away from him so easily must have been hurtful. But Diedrich, in the same way, was glad. Diamond, on any other morning, might have fought back  _ more _ if he wasn’t already in loads of trouble. It would only stand to make his position worse.

“Lotus, Mbali—teach Dot the act.” Aline nodded to the brothers who nodded back. Aline addressed Vincent, her gaze ever-calculating. “Dot, I assume you’re prepared to take this position on?” 

“As you wish, Mademoiselle.” Vincent bowed his head, not seeming bothered. 

“ _ Bien _ . Now get to work.” Aline clapped her hands and the boys scattered, some going to stretch while others went straight to the stage. 

As usual, Diedrich stood guard while he watched the boys practice. More specifically, while he watched  _ Vincent _ practice. It seemed that the other boys decided he had big shoes to fill and were helping him as much as they could. 

From what Diedrich had seen, Vincent wasn’t very good on the poles—not like Diamond. Diamond was a natural, using the poles to his advantage to get the perfect angle, the perfect position—it was almost acrobatic. Vincent, however, did not have the experience Diamond did. He looked uncertain on the poles, using them mainly to rub up on and spin around. Lotus and Mbali were talking Vincent through Diamond's usual routine as Vincent listened carefully and nodded. 

“The hardest part is the final move,” Diedrich heard Lotus say. “If you don’t do it with enough power, it will not be as successful. But, if you do it too powerfully, you could hurt yourself.”

“Sounds challenging,” Vincent observed. “Can you demonstrate?”

“I’m not as good as Diamond yet, but I will try!” Lotus approached the closest pole, clasping his hands securely before stepping up with his foot. He stepped up again so that he was fully off the ground, then paused. Carefully, he hooked his right leg around the pole, then adjusted his grip. 

“You’ve got it,” Mbali quietly cheered. 

Diedrich watched closely as Lotus adjusted his grip so that it was secure. Lotus took a quick breath, then swung his legs outward like a fan, all his weight held up by his arms. Diedrich could see his aim was to hook his opposite leg around the other side, but he overshot it and hit the back of his thigh instead. 

With a grunt, Lotus slipped off the pole, rubbing his leg. Mbali was immediately by his side, patting his back. “That was your best attempt yet.”

“Thank you, brother,” Lotus said, still wincing a bit as he turned his attention back to Vincent. “Well, it wasn’t perfect, but you understand it at least, right?”

Vincent had a hand on his chin. Diedrich couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but he imagined it was something like ‘how am I supposed to manage that?’ Vincent wasn’t trained nearly enough to attempt such a thing, and he had to learn it by 21:00 the very same evening. Diedrich couldn’t even  _ imagine _ Vincent being able to pull it off despite how many miracles Diedrich had seen Vincent manifest. This would be his toughest one yet. 

“Would you like to give it a try?” Lotus offered, noticing that Vincent wasn’t really responding. 

“I will try it, but I may not have the correct amount of upper body strength to pull it off,” Vincent admitted, putting one hand on the pole. “Does it  _ have  _ to be this move?”

“Well, that is Diamond’s routine,” Lotus scratched his head and Mbali nodded in agreement. “Why don’t we see how you do, then we’ll go from there.”

Vincent nodded his attention on the pole. Diedrich watched as Vincent mimicked Lotus exactly as he climbed onto the pole, bracing his feet against it and adjusting his grip once he reached the top. Diedrich had to admit, he was getting nervous, despite Vincent's track record of success. He didn’t want Vincent to injure himself due to his inexperience. That would make the rest of their mission rather difficult. 

Vincent took a breath, hooking his right leg just like Lotus. 

“You’ve got it. Now trust your arms and swing!” Lotus encouraged. 

Suddenly, Diedrich ran to the stage. Vincent’s arms were already weak from holding up his body weight. He was going to fall. Diedrich wouldn’t make it in time.

Out of the blue, a voice came from off stage. “Stop, stop, stop.”

Vincent's arms gave out and he dropped to the floor, landing uneasily on his feet where Lotus and Mbali supported him. Diedrich stopped in his tracks, his attention now on the man who was speaking. 

It was Diamond. He had his robe on, not looking like he was planning on practicing whatsoever. With his arms crossed, he stepped up onto the stage and gave Vincent a harsh look. “You’re not going to last like that. You need to use your feet more, not your arms.”

“Diamond,” Lotus breathed, obviously shocked that Diamond was giving advice. 

Diamond walked right up to Vincent, face to face, his gaze intense enough to make anyone shy away. Vincent, not being ‘just anyone’, stared right back, not backing down. “I don’t know why the Mademoiselle picked  _ you _ for this position. Anyone else in this  _ building _ could do a better job. Perhaps it was to get back at me specifically.” Diamond sighed, letting his elbow rest on his other arm, his hand hanging next to his head. “Whatever the case, with your technique we’re going to lose all our business.”

At this, Vincent huffed out a laugh. “Well, that’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“No.” Diamond turned his attention to Lotus and Mbali. “Rather than my routine, let’s make a new one. One that he can actually keep up with.”

“Wha—but, the Mademoiselle wanted him to do the main showcase,” Lotus protested, Mbali nodding in agreement next to him. 

“Clearly he is incapable,” Diamond snapped back, his irritation heightening. 

“You haven’t given me much of a chance, though, have you?” Vincent cut in, bothered that he wasn’t being included in a conversation about him. “I can handle it.”

Diamond raised his brow, “Cocky, aren’t we? What makes you so sure?”

“I was thinking,” Vincent started, putting his hand on his hip. “Perhaps the best teacher would be the one who has already mastered it?”

“Me? You want  _ me  _ to teach you?” Diamond snorted, his expression shifting to one of disbelief, waiting for Vincent to say he was kidding. When Vincent didn’t waver, however, Diamond squinted. “You really think you can handle my coaching?”

Vincent didn’t respond, per se—but he did give Diamond a once over, challenging his impudent attitude. Diedrich could have sworn he saw lighting firing between them. For a split second, Diedrich wanted to retreat back to his corner. 

Diamond flashed a contemptuous smile. “You’re going to regret that. Clear the stage!”

Instantly, Lotus, Mbali, and the couple of kids that were playing around on one of the poles scurried away. At that moment, Diedrich thought it was the right time for him to do the same. He couldn’t help but feel that Vincent was being foolish—did he forget that Diamond wasn’t overly fond of him? He was going to work him to death! 

The rest of the day, Diamond and Vincent monopolized the stage where Diamond drilled Vincent endlessly. Every misstep, slip, or mistake Vincent made Diamond forced him to start over. For the first time in his life, Vincent was dripping with sweat, his hair flat to his forehead and his skin shining, much like Diamond’s did when he performed. It was painful for Diedrich to watch, but he knew there was no way of stopping it. Vincent quite literally asked for this and Diedrich had no control over Diamond’s training; Diedrich didn’t know the routine by heart. He didn’t know what it took to perform or perfect it. Diedrich could only stand at the back of the room, watching as Vincent’s brutal, ceaseless lesson continued. 

For Vincent, it only took a couple of tries for most of the routine, even if Diamond was nitpicky to the point of senselessness. Still, Vincent redid every move when told to without a word until Diamond said it was okay to move on. His determination was admirable. 

It was 19:47 when Vincent reached the end of it all. The final move, however, had to be demonstrated several times by Diamond who did it effortlessly. If Vincent had already completed the rest of the program to Diamond’s satisfaction, it was this move, in particular, he wasn’t going to let go of as easily.

“No, no, use your legs more!” Diamond commanded. “Were you even watching when I showed you?”

It was at this point that Vincent was exhausted and was heaving in every breath like it was a chore. He squeezed his eyes, grunting as he swallowed. He had overworked himself. Despite this, Vincent had a comeback. “How… do I use my legs more… when I have to fan them out?”

“Ugh,  _ before _ that!” Diamond reproached, standing over Vincent who was collapsed to the floor, one hand hanging onto the pole. “Don’t use your arms until you swing your legs out! You’ll lose too much stamina.”

Vincent still hadn’t caught his breath. Diedrich started feeling the need to intervene. He knew Diamond would be harsh, but this was getting to be too much. Diedrich, for the first time in several hours, moved from his post. Immediately, Vincent’s eyes were on him with a biting glare. Diedrich returned the look, knowing exactly what Vincent was thinking. He didn’t want Diedrich to interfere. Tough luck. “Diamond, I think it’s about time you both take a break.”

Diamond’s attention snapped to Diedrich, his expression severe. “Why? Afraid I’m going to break him? He can take it.”

“Yes, I  _ can _ . Go back to your post,  _ Le Chien. _ ” Vincent snapped. Getting closer, Diedrich noticed that Vincent’s hands were shaking, red with freshly formed blisters, some of which were bleeding. There was no way he was letting this continue. 

“No. This stops  _ now _ .” Diedrich insisted. “Look at your hands!”

Vincent clenched his fists, hiding them from Diedrich, giving him another warning look. Diedrich knew he would be in trouble for doing this, but destroying himself wasn’t going to help Vincent perfect the dance. He needed to take some time to bandage up and refuel. 

“Hmph. Thought so,” Diamond commented, snidely. “Didn’t I tell you it was too hard for you?” Diamond flipped his hair back as he turned to leave the stage. “The band will be here soon. Practice it again when you have the music. I won’t be around to help you anymore.”

With that, Diamond made his exit, disappearing into the back room. 

Diedrich sighed, not at all happy with how Diamond was treating Vincent. He hoped it wasn’t somehow his fault, but he had a sinking feeling that he was at least part of it. “Are you alright?”

Vincent bit his lip, gazing at his sore hands, bitterly. “Dammit, Dee. I almost had it. Why did you do that?” 

Vincent was clearly frustrated but too tired to show it properly. 

“You were hurting yourself like a selfish idiot. What if you did something you couldn’t recover from? You’re so irresponsible.”

Just then, the doorman, Albert, called to Diedrich, telling him the band was coming downstairs. Diedrich waved to him, letting him know that he’d be over to see them in a moment. “Go fix yourself up. You can practice more once you’ve rested for a bit,  _ ja _ ?”

Vincent didn’t respond. Shakily, he stood, using the pole for support, and shuffled off the stage to the back where he could get bandaged up and ready for the show. There was only an hour left until the open house. Diedrich hoped it was enough time for Vincent to get his bearings back. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh 😳🤭 what will happen to Vincent? Will he be able to pull it off?? 
> 
> Find out next week in the 16,000-word update 🤭 (These last two chapters are going to be very long).  
> Take care till then!


	6. His Butler, In Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot goes down in this chapter, so that is why it is very long. 
> 
> Exciting! Exciting! Enjoy!

Diedrich didn’t see Vincent nor Diamond again until the show started. It was the usual performance, except for the fact that Diamond went second to last. His routine wasn’t nearly as dazzling as his usual—in fact, it looked like he made it up on the spot. Perhaps it was because he was so busy teaching Vincent. Or maybe it was because he didn’t care as much.

Once he finished onstage, with ever thunderous applause, it was time for the break before the final act, when the ‘kittens’ would come out and encourage the members to buy more beverages or food. It would have been the perfect time for Diedrich to check up on Vincent, but he had to watch the men to make sure they weren’t getting too handsy. 

Diedrich wished he knew what Vincent was doing. He wished he knew that he was all right. The idea that Vincent was meant to perform the final act, injured, was poking at the back of his mind. It made him anxious. So anxious, in fact, that he stopped Leo as he passed by to see if he knew anything.

“What? Dot?” Leo, surprised that Diedrich was interrupting, whispered. “He’s doing okay. His hands are a bit worse-for-the-wear, but he’s got protective gloves on so he should be fine.”

Diedrich resisted the urge to sigh with relief. That was all he needed to hear. 

“He’s a bit more quiet than usual, too, but I think that might be nerves,” Leo added, adjusting the serving tray in his hand. “Anyway, I need to get a move on. The guests won’t like me talking to you.”

Diedrich allowed this, standing up straight once more and resuming his constant observation of the room. 

Vincent was fine. Good. He was probably still mad at Diedrich, but better for him to be mad than to be irrecoverably hurt. With this ease of mind, Diedrich’s thoughts cleared and he was able to fully survey the room. 

He checked off the regulars of suspicious nature, sitting where they usually did. There wasn’t anything, in particular, that was new, but one thing caught his eye about a regular guest that he hadn’t picked up on before. 

The man who sat by himself—the one with the purple and gold mask—had a lot of familiar-looking rings on his fingers. Rings that Diedrich was certain he had kissed the day prior to this one. Was that Father Farley?

What was he doing here? Aline had said he was a patron, but Diedrich didn’t think she meant like this. Diedrich assumed she had been speaking of the generosity of his time and church services, not actual funds. 

Diedrich watched in horror as Ange approached the table Farley sat at. Diedrich's rage was already at its peak when it came to the Father. He knew shouldn’t 'make a scene', but if that old man laid a single finger on Ange, Diedrich would gladly direct and star in a  _ whole _ play. 

Diedrich watched with a sharp eye as Ange introduced himself and offered to bring Farley a drink, none the wiser that he was speaking to the holy man himself. Diedrich couldn’t hear over the boisterous chatter of the hall, but it seemed like the typical conversations that the kittens would have with the guests. The Father acted cordial, not making any suspicious movements nor anything that would give him away to Ange. 

It was not much time after Ange first introduced himself that Farley waved him away. Ange bowed then left to attend to the other guests. Diedrich continued to watch the Father, making certain he wasn’t going to attack once Ange let his guard down, but the Father made no further movements. But when he reached up and took a sip of his wine, Diedrich noticed he was shaking, his other fist clenched tightly where it rested on his lap. 

Diedrich didn’t like this behavior and he hoped the other boys would stay away from the Father. There was no telling what he could do next. 

With no further questionable actions, Diedrich was able to bring his attention away to keep an eye on the boys for the rest of their time moseying through the hall and assisting the guests. The time passed quickly until it was finally time for Vincent’s performance. 

Aline, once again, stepped onto the stage to announce the next event. “Once again, gentlemen, we are on to our last performance of the night. Now, some of our regulars may have realized that our dear Diamond performed for you all a little earlier.” The crowd cheered in response. “ _ Oui, oui. _ He is still our pride and joy. But, tonight, I thought we would give the spotlight to a rising star.” Again, the crowd cheered, a little louder this time. Aline looked pleased with this response. “He’s worked very hard to get to where he is, so I hope you’ll all give a warm welcome to… Dot!”

Behind Aline, the spotlight lit, revealing Vincent in the position that Diamond was usually in when he would start the finale and it sent shivers up Diedrich’s spine. He was on his knees, his head back, his spine arched, and hands crossed over his body, frozen. Diedrich had watched Vincent do this dozens of times at Diamond’s instruction, but none of what he did before looked better than in that moment. 

The cheers died down and the music started. The teary sound of a single violin sounded and Vincent began to move immediately, his hands running all over his upper body. With an abundance of precision, Vincent followed the violin's shaky sound all the way up to his head where he combed his fingers through his hair. The violin stopped and it was all Vincent. He paused, dramatically, before slamming his fists into the floor making a thudding sound which was followed by another on the same beat except, this time, it was his foot. Then his other. 

Suddenly, he rolled over, his gaze meeting that of the crowd, and his fists hit the floor on the same beat again. 

The pace of the beat increased as he began to rise from the floor until he rapidly hit the stage twice before the last beat in this sequence; him jumping to his feet. 

At this queue, the band began with Diamond’s usual vivacious music, featuring blaring trumpets and wild violins. 

Diedrich watched in awe as Vincent hit every move perfectly and with as much skill as Diamond. If you hadn’t seen Vincent before this very moment, when he was having this routine drilled into his head over and over painstakingly by Diamond, you would think he had practiced for months. He was performing the piece accurately and sensually and, unlike when Diamond did it, the crowd was silent, their jaws dropped open. 

Diedrich felt the same. Once again, Vincent was creating a miracle right before his eyes. And he was doing it with such style and flair one would think this was all planned. 

One thing, in particular, stood out, as the performance was nearing its close. Because, of course, perfecting the piece wasn’t enough, Vincent decided to add a little flare to it right before the final move. 

Strutting up to the pole nearest the front of the stage, Vincent did something that wasn’t part of the routine. He dropped down into a squat, his hand sliding down along the length of the pole. Diedrich watched, his eyes wide, as Vincent put his two inner fingers in his mouth, sticking his tongue out. It might have been his imagination, but Diedrich could have sworn Vincent looked right at him as he did so. It had to be his imagination—Vincent wouldn’t go to such lengths. Would he?

Diedrich didn’t have much time left to think, as Vincent curved back up, showing off his ass before he began climbing the pole as he had practiced a million times. The music was swelling in anticipation, the climax fast approaching. Was Vincent going to be able to get the right timing with the mood to make a perfect finish?

Diedrich’s pulse pounded. It was like he was seeing the world in slow motion. Vincent kicked off the pole and, where he usually fell from exhaustion, he instead perfectly fanned out his long legs as he swung around the pole and hooked his leg around the other side. The grip was strong enough that he was able to let go of the pole with one hand and lace it through his hair, which was falling over his mask, seductively. The music ended right when he did so, leaving the crowd with an absolutely flawless performance. 

For a moment, all that could be heard in the main hall was the sound of Vincent catching his breath. Then, the crowd erupted in ear-shattering applause. Diedrich, despite himself, clapped along with them. It was an astonishing performance, the likes of which even Diamond might be jealous of if he were there to see it. 

Vincent had done it again. Against all odds, he pulled it off. And, once again, Diedrich was there to witness it. He wondered if Vincent did the same kinds of things when he  _ wasn’t _ around Diedrich: perform miracles. It was unimaginable. 

With what felt like never-ending waves and kisses from Vincent, he was finally able to make his exit. Soon after, Aline replaced his presence on the stage. “Dot, everybody!”

The crowd, somehow, still had enough energy to cheer with just as much vigor as when Vincent’s had finished, making Diedrich want earmuffs. 

Aline laughed as the crowd's cheering died again, “ _ Exquise, non? _ I have to say, I was at the edge of my seat for the whole performance!” Diedrich squinted at this remark, thinking it had a double meaning. Maybe Aline had her doubts about Vincent from the start. “As usual, thank you all for your presence and generous donations. I hope this was enough as repayment for your services! Now, let us have our final bow. Come, my darlings!”

Chase, Lotus, Mbali, Leo, Ange, Zuzu, Aais, and, finally, Vincent returned to the stage, waving and blowing kisses in response to the standing ovation they were receiving. Diedrich, despite the excitement, couldn’t help but notice that Diamond was nowhere to be seen. He was probably in the back, sulking about Vincent’s flawless performance. Diedrich did feel bad for Diamond—it might have been biased, but Diedrich didn’t think he deserved to be treated the way he was by Aline. That, however, did stop Diedrich from feeling a sense of pride after Vincent’s part. 

Diedrich watched as Lotus pulled Vincent into a tight hug on stage, obviously ecstatic. Vincent was grinning as well, his body language exhausted but his enthusiasm on the rise. And Diedrich couldn’t stop himself from smiling right along with him. 

* * *

Diedrich, once again, made sure all the Lion’s Den members exited, one by one like they entered. As they each returned their masks, some still walking together, they continued to bustle about Vincent’s final performance even as they left, giddy and drunk. Diedrich couldn’t blame them—Diedrich was doing the same. Even if it weren’t outwardly.

Diedrich paid special attention to Farley as he walked out. Farley, knowing that Diedrich had recognized him, paused to speak with him. Which would have been a bad mistake if Diedrich wasn’t still high from Vincent’s success. 

“You’re doing wonderfully, Le Chien,” The Father said, patting Diedrich's shoulder. “Everything is much more in order now that you’re around. Dot’s finale was quite the sight, don’t you agree?”

Diedrich nodded, thinking it best not to say anything, lest something he regrets comes out. 

“Quite.” Farley nodded his head. His gaze was so intense it felt like he could see through Diedrich’s mask. The Father’s expression dimmed, slightly, “I see you haven’t prayed yet. It must be hard to return to God once you’ve turned from his light. Remember, my boy, the church is always waiting for you with open arms. Stop by any time.”

Diedrich wouldn’t know how to respond to that even if he was allowing himself to speak. He bowed and, as the Father made his way out, Diedrich waved to Albert for the next guest. Diedrich was certainly creeped out by that priest, in more ways than one. He seemed to be able to read people’s… ‘holiness’. It could be a bluff, but that old man had yet to be wrong about his interpretations. Diedrich didn’t like being seen so easily. Much like Vincent, he liked to keep people at arm’s length, at least. If he could help it, it would be even further than arm's length. Especially since Diedrich didn’t like most people. 

Once everyone had left and the main hall was empty, save for those who were left cleaning and Aline, who was counting the night's revenue, Diedrich found his way to the back. No one was on the stage, where Aline did her usual review, so he assumed they were in the dressing room. 

When he entered, his eyes were met with the lovely sight of the performers crowding around Vincent and praising him. Vincent was smiling with his teeth, clearly eating up their excitement, when he saw Diedrich walk in. 

Diedrich waved, shortly, and Vincent waved back before Aais jumped up on his arm, spinning Vincent in a circle. Diedrich didn’t want to admit it, but Vincent looked good with kids. Diedrich had thought about Vincent in the future before, and he always had kids in such visions. It was bittersweet, but seeing Vincent now, so happily surrounded by excited kids, made Diedrich’s lips curl in a small smile. He liked seeing Vincent cheerful. 

Turning his attention back to the rest of the room, Diedrich noticed Diamond was nowhere in sight which was sad but understandable. He probably wanted nothing to do with a celebration of Vincent. 

The kids must have finally noticed Diedrich’s presence because Zuzu came running over to him, “ _ Le Chien! Le Chien! _ You saw it from the crowd—was it just as good as it looked from back here!?”

“Uh,  _ ja, ja _ , it was… truly something else,” Diedrich said, his gaze leveling on Vincent who was also looking and listening. They shared a quiet conversation that entailed Diedrich complimenting Vincent on his good show and Vincent thanking him, something neither would say out loud. 

The older boys had started disrobing and hanging up their masks and uniforms. Vincent, having caught a break from the swarm of children, sat down at one of the vanities with a contented sigh. 

“What was it like? Was it  _ enchanting _ ?” Ange asked Diedrich, his tone whimsical and his hands clasped together. 

“Dot is positively beautiful, don’t you think?” Aais added. He was cradling Vincent’s sheer skirt like a child would their blanket.

“I was so relieved when he didn’t fall at the end.” Leo sighed his hand on his chest. 

Diedrich was overwhelmed by the sudden attention and he couldn’t bring himself to answer any of their questions, just stutter. Part of the reason being they were bringing up every thought that was going through his head at once. Yes, Vincent was enchanting and beautiful and Diedrich had also felt relieved when he was able to pull off the last move without injuring himself. It was a lot to take in at once and it’s no wonder the crowd was left speechless. 

“Boys, please, you’re crowding  _ Le Chien _ ,” Vincent interjected, waving his hand. “Go get changed, it’s nearly bedtime.”

Aais and Zuzu protested Vincent’s commands, but Leo agreed and encouraged them to do the same. They conceded, then, but didn’t stop chattering amongst themselves. 

Diedrich shook his head a bit before he sat down on an empty wooden crate next to Vincent’s vanity. “So… how did you do it?”

Vincent was wiping makeup from his face with a damp washcloth when Diedrich asked. Not much changed as it came off—his skin was still flawless without the powder and his lips were still petal pink even without the lipstick. Diedrich thought then that perhaps Vincent was too perfect. “I practiced it a lot,  _ Le Chien _ , you saw it. It was a matter of faith, I suppose.”

“‘Faith’? Hmph.” Diedrich was still smiling, in spite of himself, but he wanted to change the subject. “How are your hands?”

Vincent turned them over, the gloves and bandages still covering the blisters. “They hurt but I’ll be fine.” With that, he removed the gloves, carefully. “Just need to keep them clean and the bandages fresh.”

“You seriously had me nervous,” Diedrich admitted, a little bit more grumpily than he expected. “I don’t know what we would do if you had hurt yourself.”

“We would figure it out, of course. An injury can’t hinder the Queen’s guard dog, you know?” Vincent responded, quietly. 

Chase was suddenly hovering above Vincent, “Dot, can I borrow your washcloth? Mine seriously needs to be cleaned.”

“Certainly,” Vincent answered, passing him his cloth. 

“Thanks. Also, you don’t have to be nervous about what would happen to you if you were injured,” Chase said, overhearing their conversation. Diedrich hoped he missed the ‘guard dog’ part of it. “Mademoiselle Aline would nurse you back to health. If it was irrecoverable, then you could simply be a waiter.” Chase laughed at this, wiping his face. “A waiter whose beauty is wasted, but, still, you wouldn’t be on the streets.”

“Thank you, Chase, that’s very kind.” Vincent shook his head, rubbing one of his palms with his thumb. 

It was just then, Aline burst into the room. “Gentlemen, this has been a most profitable night!”

The room’s attention immediately went to Aline. 

“How much?” Lotus inquired, taking down his hair from its usual ponytail. 

“Let’s just say, it beat out Diamond’s initiation night,” Aline grinned from ear to ear.

“Really!?” Leo exclaimed from where he was changing. The group cheered and Chase gave Vincent a pat on the back. Diedrich didn’t know exactly what that meant, but it must have been rather impressive going by the excitement in the air.

Aline made a beeline for Vincent. Her hands rested on his shoulders, massaging them. Vincent put a hand on hers, smiling up at her. “You truly are a star, Dot. I think I’ll buy you a new uniform with these funds.”

“Awh, mademoiselle, come on, I’m long overdue for a new one!” Chase complained.

“When you earn us double the standard in donations, then I will think about it,” Aline responded, dropping the subject and turning to the rest of the group. “I don’t think I need to say this, but I will anyway. You could all take a page from Dot’s book on how a  _ real  _ performance should be done. If you do, you each might be able to get new uniforms.”

“Oo, oo! Does that mean I can actually have one!?” Aais piped in, raising his hand. Diedrich recalled that he usually wore an oversized dress shirt that made him look like a little girl. Diedrich didn’t want him to wear anything else, mostly because he was the youngest but also partially because it was funny to watch Aais shuffle around in that thing. 

“Perhaps,  _ mon enfant _ , but that is much further in the future.” Aline nodded at Aais, smiling lovingly like a mother. “For tonight, that is the only note I have. You all should get a good night’s rest. If you want to earn those new uniforms, you best start working harder. Well done.”

Before Aline left, Diedrich stood and stopped her. “Do you know where Diamond is?”

She paused, staring up at Diedrich, silently, before blinking and saying, “Oh,  _ em, _ probably in his room. Why?”

“Just wondering,” Diedrich responded, suddenly shy of Aline’s gaze. He might have seemed a little too interested. 

“He’s okay if that’s what you’re wondering. He just needs to be alone for a bit.” Aline nodded, giving Diedrich one last up-and-down look. “Make sure everyone goes to bed,  _ Le Chien _ . Good night,” she stated before taking her exit. 

Great. Diedrich was too obvious. Now Diamond would probably get into  _ more  _ trouble. He hoped not. That was the last thing he wanted for Diamond—more trouble would stress him to the hilt. Maybe Diedrich should visit him later to make sure he was still alright. Unless he didn’t want to see him, which Diedrich would understand. If  _ his _ job was taken over by somebody else, Diedrich also wouldn’t want to talk to anyone. 

“ _ Le Chien,  _ Diamond’s fine,” Lotus said, cutting through Diedrich’s thoughts. “He just needs to let off some steam, is all. He’ll perk up by tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Diedrich responded, moving to sit next to Vincent again only to see Vincent standing as soon as he did so. 

“I’m going to change now,” Vincent announced curtly, turning to leave. 

“Ah, you’re always so shy, Dot, come on, let us see!” Chase teased, practically naked himself having only his shirt on. 

“Chase, I already told you that’s not going to happen,” Vincent shook his head, rolling his eyes playfully. “Goodnight, boys.”

They all responded at once as Vincent slipped out of the doorway. Diedrich, not liking how fast Vincent retired, stood and walked after him. He didn’t really care how it looked at that point because he was more worried about what was going on with Vincent. 

Vincent was already in his room by the time Diedrich was out of the changing room so he, without hesitation, walked right for it. 

Diedrich opened Vincent’s door, not really concerned with whether or not Vincent was decent. Vincent was still dressed when he got in, and he turned to the door in surprise. 

“Oh, Dee. What is it?” Vincent asked. He turned away from Diedrich, undoing his bustier by himself, which, at any other moment, would have ticked Diedrich off but he was much too preoccupied. 

“What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean? I already told you I’m fine,” Vincent responded absentmindedly, folding his clothes and putting them on the bed. 

“No, you’re upset. I know it.” Diedrich stopped Vincent from continuing to undress by grabbing his wrist, wrenching Vincent’s attention back to Diedrich. “ _ What’s wrong _ ?”

Vincent scoffed, “Quite presumptuous of you to think I would just  _ tell  _ you whatever you want to know when you want to know it,” Vincent replied, irritated. He looked at Diedrich's hand clenching his wrist and wiggled it. “Release me and leave at once. You’re aggravating me.”

Diedrich, not expecting to hear this, was shocked. He released Vincent’s wrist which was wrenched away from Diedrich’s reach, quickly. What was happening? Vincent was just in a good mood from his miraculous success that had occurred not yet an hour prior to the moment they were now sharing in his dark bedroom. Diedrich could barely recognize him. He’d never seen Vincent so defensive. 

Just then, Vincent sighed, wiping his forehead. “Sorry, Dee. I don’t know what’s come over me. I’m just exhausted, I suppose.”

Diedrich shook his head, knowing that wasn’t all. “And?” It was arrogant of Diedrich to expect an answer, but he asked anyway. It wasn’t exactly fair of Vincent to treat him like that when Diedrich didn’t think he did anything wrong. 

“And… I suppose I’m still a bit mad at you for interfering with my practice earlier.” Vincent threw his nightshirt over himself, adjusting it so it wasn’t hanging off his bare shoulders. “It wasn’t your place to decide when I should stop. Quite irritating.”

“Oh,” Diedrich, suddenly feeling embarrassed for having overstepped his boundaries, cleared his throat. “It has been a…  _ strange  _ mission. I didn’t mean to try to be something to you that I’m not. I apologize. My position as the guard is getting to my head, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure. It’s okay, Dee." Vincent gave Diedrich an insincere smile. "Just remember that  _ I  _ can handle myself. You’re my muscle, I don’t need your protection.” He took a short breath, flicking his hair out of his face. “Now, go on, then, Dee, I need to finish getting changed.”

“Ah, right, sorry,” Diedrich immediately turned to exit without another word. As the door clicked shut, he wasn’t sure how to feel as he stood outside of Vincent’s door. He felt, to put it one way, befuddled. Was Vincent really  _ that _ upset about Diedrich’s actions? It seemed unlikely, but Diedrich had nothing else to go on. As usual, the man was being mysterious. Anything he said could be a lie but Diedrich wanted to believe Vincent wouldn’t lie to him. Diedrich never lied to Vincent, after all. It was only courteous of Vincent to do the same—when he actually told Diedrich anything.

Frustrated once again, Diedrich decided he’d ease his mind in another way. If he couldn’t understand Vincent, then he wanted to understand  _ someone _ . And that ‘someone’ had been on his mind for the whole day. He headed straight for Diamond’s room, where he could see candlelight beneath the door. He knocked, softly, before opening it with the meekness of a mouse. 

“Diamond?” Diedrich said, sneaking his head in first. At first glance, Diamond wasn’t in his bed, where Diedrich thought he would be. Diedrich stepped further into the room to see that, actually, no one was in there. Did he go to the bathroom? 

Diedrich stepped further in and observed a folded up piece of paper on the bed. Diedrich sat down next to it, giving one last cursory glance around the room before picking it up. 

He unfolded it, gradually, worried Diamond would walk in on him at any second. But, when he saw that the greeting was addressed to Diedrich, he was suddenly filled to the brim with dread. 

> _ Dear Diedrich, _
> 
> _ By the time you read this, I will already be gone. I know this letter may come as a shock to you and, even as I write it, I am regretting it. But I am no longer safe here. Tonight was my last and only chance at freedom. I hope you’ll understand. _
> 
> _ Thank you for your love,  _
> 
> _ Diamond _

Diedrich was in shock. He couldn’t believe what he was reading. Diamond was…  _ gone?  _ How? When? Diedrich didn’t even see him leave. There was no way he could have missed Diamond walking out, even when he  _ wasn’t  _ at his post, there were always people watching the door. The barman, Albert—even Aline was there and, God knows, she would  _ never  _ have let him simply walk out. 

Diedrich, flying into a panic, ran from Diamond’s room, crumpling the note in his hands. He raced into the changing room, startling those who were left in there. He began tearing through the seas of clothes and props. Diamond had to still be there—he was just hiding somewhere. 

“ _ Le Chien,  _ what are you doing!?” Chase exclaimed, obviously alarmed. 

“He’s in here, he has to be here!” Diedrich responded, frantically. 

“What? Who?” Lotus inquired, holding up his hands to try to slow Diedrich down. 

“Diamond! Diamond—he’s not in his room, so he must be somewhere else!” Diedrich shouted, throwing a handful of props to the ground. He tore back the curtain to the bathtub finding no one, he ran to the kids’ room, scaring them half to death when he slammed the door open, checked under their beds before running back out. 

“ _ Le Chien,  _ what’s wrong!?” Ange called after him. Diedrich couldn’t respond. Diamond was missing—he  _ had  _ to be somewhere. 

Diedrich rushed to the main hall, seeing all the chairs stacked up on the tables and the servers getting ready to leave. Diedrich’s eyes soaked up the whole room, not seeing Diamond’s platinum hair anywhere. Quickly, Diedrich shoved past the servers, not caring if he knocked one of them over in the process. 

He charged up the stairs, tripping on one in his frenzy, before falling through the doorway to the back of the bar, sending the crate flying. This startled the bartender, who was taking inventory. 

Diedrich ignored him, his mind focused on one thing. 

The bar was empty. Empty, empty, empty—Diamond wasn’t hiding anywhere in there. There was only one place left that Diedrich hadn’t looked in. And there was no way he could find him there if it was true.

Diedrich, catching his breath, jogged outside into the London night air. He supported himself on his knees, as he observed the empty streets. No one to the left, no one to the right. If he did leave, Diamond was long gone by now. 

Diedrich ran his hands through his hair, his chest heaving. He felt paralyzed. Diamond was gone. Diedrich would never get to see him again. 

Diedrich, angrier than sad, clenched his fists, his head hanging from his shoulders. He groaned, his thoughts racing a million miles per second. 

_ What  _ was Diamond  _ thinking _ !? Leaving, with no warning, was the  _ worst  _ thing that he could do. There was a killer out there, likely to be one of the members of the Pride, who would recognize him in a heartbeat. Diamond may have worn a mask on stage, but his hair color was quite unique. Then again, if  _ Diedrich  _ didn’t spot him among the crowd that left, perhaps he was careful enough to keep himself well disguised. 

But where would he go? Leave the city? He didn’t have enough money for a place to stay. And how was he going to protect himself? He had no weapons—no strength. As pretentious as it sounded, Diedrich was Diamond’s only protector. The only one who would have been able to help Diamond. If he really wanted to leave, he could have told Diedrich. If he didn’t feel safe, he should have talked to Diedrich first before making such a reckless decision. 

Diedrich stomped his foot. “Damn!” He snapped, his chest toiling with irrational emotions. Yet another person Diedrich cared about who kept secrets from him and did whatever they wanted without asking what Diedrich thought first. The whole reason he was in this situation was because of the very same thing—Vincent doing whatever he wanted. Diedrich thought, then, that he attracted the wrong type of people—the types of people who didn’t think of others before they thought of themselves. 

“ _ Le Chien _ ?” A voice said from behind him. Diedrich, dejectedly, turned around. The performers, including Vincent, were all standing at the doorway of the bar. Ange was closest to Diedrich, stepping toward him cautiously. 

Ange looked around, his expression darkening. “He’s gone… isn’t he?”

All Diedrich could do was nod. Suddenly, Ange embraced him. Diedrich didn’t have the emotional strength to return the favor. He simply allowed Ange to hold him around the waist and bury his face into Diedrich’s stomach. 

Diedrich looked on at the others, all presenting a similar mournful expression. Even Vincent, despite his usual expressionlessness, appeared quite distraught. 

Just then, Aline appeared behind them. They parted to allow her to step out, but she stayed where she was, leveling her heavy gaze on Diedrich. She was silent, her hands behind her back. Then, after a long moment, she said, “The show must go on.”

Diedrich couldn’t believe his ears. Did she even care? Did she even want to look for him? He was the star of her show a day ago and, now that he was gone, he was nothing!? 

Diedrich opened his mouth to reprimand her, but it was Vincent’s turn to step forward. He placed a hand on Diedrich’s chest to stop him from saying anything he would regret. Diedrich didn’t take his gaze off of Aline.

Mademoiselle Aline blinked, then turned to go back inside. “Come, now. It’s past bedtime.”

Ange finally let go of Diedrich, looking up at him, sadly. Diedrich looked back down, then averted his gaze. Ange looked shy, suddenly. “Maybe… he’ll come back.” He said, hopeful. 

Diedrich sighed, “Maybe.”

Ange, after nodding in agreement, scurried back inside after the others, leaving Vincent and Diedrich in the street, alone. 

“I don’t want to go back down there. I don’t think I can do this anymore,” Diedrich stated, his shoulders tense. 

Vincent tilted his head. “No one’s died, Dee. He will probably come back.”

“It’s not just that!” Diedrich threw his hands in the air, not caring if it was the middle of the night. Not caring if the whole of England heard him yelling. “It’s—everything! The nightly performances, the perverts, Aline, the Father, the kids _ —you _ !” Diedrich shouted, exasperated.

“Me?”

“Yes!” Diedrich insisted, stepping closer to Vincent. “You are so secretive that I hardly know what you’re thinking. I can  _ feel _ you holding something back! It’s… not normal.”

Vincent’s face grew long, his eyes more telling than his mouth. Diedrich hit the nail on the head—he  _ was _ holding something back. But  _ what  _ was it? It was obviously something that weighed on Vincent heavily. So why wouldn’t he tell Diedrich? Diedrich would gladly shoulder whatever the burden was, no matter how heavy. Vincent knew that—so why?

“Dee… the mission is bigger than this,” Vincent started, his mouth thin. “I  _ will _ tell you. But not yet. Not until we finished what we’ve started.”

Diedrich clenched his jaw. He wanted to keep hounding Vincent for an answer. He wanted to know  _ now _ . But Vincent was right. If this secret was too hard for Vincent to share, it would probably be for the best if he didn’t say anything until they were through with the mission. Diedrich, for one, didn’t need  _ any _ more distractions. It occurred to him he was becoming much too invested in something that shouldn’t matter to him—he shouldn’t have gotten involved with Diamond in the first place. He shouldn’t  _ care _ so much about the kids; about  _ any _ of it! It wasn’t permanent. It’s not where he belonged. 

“You’re right. I’m acting foolish.” Diedrich shook his head, studying the ground again. No matter if it pained him to stay; no matter if Diamond was gone. He had to push through and complete what he came to do. That’s what he was there for. Not to be swept up in the drama of other people’s pain or his own. It was a favor for Vincent. For the Queen.

Vincent gave him a small smile. “Not foolish—just big-hearted. That could get you killed someday, Dee.”

Diedrich scoffed, “Perhaps. But it can’t be worse than not having one.”

“Excuse you, I have a very big heart,” Vincent countered as Diedrich walked back inside. Diedrich didn’t respond to Vincent, since he wasn’t necessarily talking about him _. _ He trudged back into the Lion’s Den with a renewed sense of purpose but a heart heavy with regret and dread. 

When he entered the bar, he could have sworn he heard hurried footsteps of little bare feet on their way toward the stairwell in the back room. Was it one of the kids? Were they listening? 

Vincent paused next to Diedrich, looking around. “What’s wrong?”

Diedrich, not wanting to jump to conclusions, replied, “Nothing. Just thought I heard something.”

* * *

That night, when Diedrich locked everybody in their rooms, he found it the hardest yet to fall asleep. It might be because he was just getting used to seeing Diamond every night, even if they had only been doing so for two days. 

Diedrich laid on his back in his bed, clutching Diamond’s letter to his chest. He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about it. About where Diamond could have gone. Perhaps he had family or friends to stay with. Come to think of it, Diedrich didn’t know anything about Diamond. The only thing he knew was his real name and, aside from the sex, that’s as intimate he had been with Diamond. He didn’t know how he got into sex work, he didn’t know if his family was alive, he didn’t know where he grew up—he didn’t even know how old he was. 

Diedrich also thought about Diamond’s letter—the end of it, where Diamond thanked him for his love. Was it love? Did Diedrich love him or was he just infatuated with Diamond? If Diedrich thought about it, the only love he’d felt before was relentlessly painful. Perhaps he was incapable of recognizing it because of that. 

Diedrich very well could have been falling in love with Diamond—he wanted to deny it, but it was true. Which also led him to believe it was better that Diamond had left. That way, Diedrich would stop acting like he had any place here. He was an interloper, not a member. He had no stakes in this, other than, ultimately, a successful operation. He shouldn’t want more than that. 

Diedrich was probably able to fall asleep for all of three hours before it was time, once again, to face the day. He got up, forgoing washing his face and fixing his hair in favor of getting a little more rest, before going and unlocking the performer's doors with a short knock for each. 

Gradually, they all exited, in varying degrees of dress, making their way straight for the dressing room. Diedrich didn’t say anything to them and they didn’t say anything to him. Diedrich got the feeling everybody else slept just as much as he did. The previous night was a shock, not only to the performers but to the whole show. They would be a person short, making it hard to predict what the show would look like. Would it be possible to ignore such a big gap?

Aline appeared in the dressing room, earlier than usual, as all the boys prepared for the day. 

“ _ Bonjour _ , boys,” Aline started. Diedrich stood by the door, watching her. He still wasn’t exactly happy with her after what she said about Diamond last night, but Diedrich tried to be sympathetic. She might have been just as upset but, like Diedrich, she had no control over the situation. “I know that’s it’s hard for everyone, because of Diamond’s disappearance, but you will perform tonight, as usual. He may come back or he may never, but that doesn’t stop the show, understood?” Aline gave the boys a level gaze which they met with uneasy ones. “In the time he is gone, he will be missed. But keep your heads up. You want to earn those new uniforms,  _ oui _ ?”

When no one responded, Aline sighed. “This brings me to my next matter. Ange, Leo—which of you feels the most prepared to fill the missing position?”

“Diamond’s position!?” Leo exclaimed, dropping his top. 

“Th-That’s impossible, Mademoiselle!” Ange added, alarmed. 

“Not Diamond’s; just the gap. Dot will take care of the finale again tonight, but I need one of you to fill in the missing timeslot,” Aline explained further, unfurling her fan. “Now, answer me—which of you will it be?”

Leo and Ange looked at each other, neither appearing to be willing to do it. Diedrich was in a stupor. Was Aline really going to make one of those two boys get on stage in front of a crowd of pervy noblemen, their expectations sky-high, especially going by the performance Vincent put on last night? That amount of pressure was enough to break a  _ man _ , let alone a teenage boy! 

Diedrich, without thinking, stepped forward, saying, “Mademoiselle, if I may offer—”

“No,  _ Le Chien, _ your position is by the door,” Aline’s gaze flicked to Diedrich’s face for a split second. “You’re here to protect, not perform.”

Diedrich froze. He couldn’t deny that. Yet he felt he had to try to get between the kids and this situation—between the kids and Aline. She couldn’t be thinking straight if she thought that sending one of them on stage was a good idea. It’d be like sending lamb for slaughter. 

“Fine. If neither of you are going to volunteer, I will pick one,” Aline said, addressing the boys again. “Ange—you have more training on the poles than Leo. You will be performing tonight. Be sure you prepare accordingly.”

“But Mademoiselle!” Ange protested, fear in his eyes. 

“No ‘buts’! That is final.” Aline snapped her fan shut and turned to leave. “I expect the rest of you to help Ange get ready for tonight. I will be in my office.”

When Aline was out of sight, Diedrich could feel dread settling over the group like a heavy blanket. No one moved an inch for several heartbeats. Then, Ange started crying, softly. He sniffled as big tears rolled down his cheeks. He was shaking. He was in no way ready for this. 

“Ange, I’m sorry, I’ll do it, okay? You don’t have to,” Leo offered, wrapping his arms around Ange with urgency. Ange continued to cry, stunned like someone had a gun pointed directly at him. Diedrich didn’t know what to do. There was nothing  _ to _ do. It felt like he was standing amidst a building that had one of the support beams ripped from the frame. The whole roof was going to collapse if one tinier, weaker substitute beam couldn’t withstand the pressure.

“Leo… I have to do it,” Ange hiccuped, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. “The Mademoiselle, she—she picked  _ me _ . She would be furious if you took my place!” 

“I’m sure we can talk to her—get her to understand,” Leo said as he pulled away from Ange to look him in the face. “It’s too much pressure.”

“ _ Non, non,  _ it’s okay.” Ange took in a quivering breath. He swallowed, harshly, wiping the tears from his face. “I can do it. I’ve been practicing, remember? I-I can do it.”

“We’ll help you, of course, love,” Chase reminded, nodding to Lotus and Mbali. 

“Yes, yes, of course,” Lotus nodded back, Mbali doing the same. “There’s nothing to it—you just have to  _ feel _ it. You’ve got a natural talent for it, you’ll be alright.”

“Yeah! And, besides, don’t you remember? You were finally able to pull off the move where you look like a bat!” Zuzu chimed in, grabbing Ange’s hand. “You’re going to do great!”

Ange sniffled again, wiping his nose. “ _ Merci _ . I will do my best.”

“Well, we best get to work, then. You’ve got a lot to memorize before tonight’s show,” Vincent finally spoke, standing from the vanity. “Although, I’m sure we’d all  _ love  _ to see  _ Le Chien _ try it, hm?”

Diedrich was irked, realizing he was suddenly being made fun of. “Watch it.”

At this, Ange actually giggled a bit. Diedrich was relieved to see him smile, despite being the butt of the joke he was laughing at. This would be the toughest night yet. Ange was far too shy to perform—as far as experience went, he had more than Vincent, but Vincent had a completely different personality. Vincent was positively bodacious on stage, his innate appeal and beauty made it easy for him to enchant an audience. Ange, on the other hand, could barely take a compliment. Although charming, he was clumsy with the customers and often spilled drinks he was serving. He simply wasn’t ready for the limelight that was being shoved on to him. 

* * *

Once again, Diedrich watched the day pass from his spot against the wall nearest the entrance. Vincent, Lotus, Mbali, and Chase made a combined effort to create a routine for Ange to follow, pulling pieces out of their own routine and showing Ange bit by bit. 

Zuzu was also helping a lot with spotting Ange and encouraging him to include the ‘Full-Split Bat’ move, as Zuzu called it. Ange responded well to the encouragement but wasn’t confident in his ability to do such a move on-stage. Diedrich thought that was for the better. 

After several hours of practice, everyone except Ange cleared the stage and gathered in front of it.

“Okay, Ange. Let’s do a run-through,” Vincent announced. 

Ange nodded, sheepishly. He tiptoed to the edge of the stage and waited for Vincent’s queue. When Vincent gave the okay, Ange took a deep breath before he started. To kick-off, Ange jumped into a cartwheel, landing near the pole on the furthest end of the stage. He spun around it, leaning out with his head tilted back before pulling back in and flashing his gaze out to the ‘audience’. 

So far, it looked good. Ange was remembering all the steps properly. But when it came to the bigger maneuvers, he fell short of the grandeur the older performers possessed when doing such moves. Once again, Ange’s shyness was getting in the way. 

The final move, however, was the worst. It was different from Vincent’s, firstly because it was completed upside-down and required high flexibility and balance rather than strength. Ange had already successfully completed the move, but not on his own. He had Zuzu to spot him at all times. The combination of self-reliance and pressure from the audience’s expectations would make it extremely difficult for Ange if he couldn’t shake his hesitations. 

As expected, Ange fell before he was able to hold himself up. The group below the stage all reacted in subdued disappointment, before clapping on his valiant effort. 

“Good job, Ange, you can do it!” Zuzu called, jumping up and down. The other kids cheered in agreement. 

“Yes, Zuzu’s right. We’ll just keep practicing,” Chase added, glancing at the clock above the bar. “We’ve still got a couple of hours before open house. You’ll get there.”

Ange, who had been on his knees after falling, nodded in response. He didn’t seem even slightly convinced. Diedrich pressed his lips together. There was nothing Diedrich could do to help. He had no experience to pull from to give Ange any advice that was worthwhile. 

“ _ Le Chien,  _ would you come here for a moment?” Vincent said, suddenly. Diedrich didn’t even notice he was looking at him. Suspicious as to what Vincent wanted, he obliged, stepping around the tables to join with the group. 

“What is it?” Diedrich asked, crossing his arms. 

“Would you support Ange while he practices? Just once,” Vincent asked, holding out his hand like he was welcoming Diedrich to a party. 

“What!?” Ange and Diedrich exclaimed at the same time, Diedrich more out of confusion and Ange more out of alarm. Diedrich glanced at Ange and Ange looked away, his hair covering his face. 

“What do you mean?” Diedrich continued, more calmly. 

“I mean, Ange is going to need help supporting his body so he can get the positioning right,” Vincent answered, casually. “None of us possess the inborn muscle power that you do, so I figured you were the best choice.”

Diedrich didn’t know if he should be insulted or take that as a compliment. Either way, he still had to agree to whatever Vincent said, even if he didn’t think it would help. “Right…”

Diedrich made his way onto the stage, Ange’s eyes on him the whole way up. Diedrich stood next to Ange, then leaned down to offer him a hand. Ange looked between it and Diedrich’s face like something wasn’t clicking. Diedrich pulled Ange to his feet and waited for Vincent’s instruction. 

“Alright, Ange, you’re going to need to get in position and  _ Le Chien _ will support you as you do so,” Vincent said, pointing to Ange. “It’s an exercise in memorization. You need to memorize how it feels to hold the position first without using up all your strength. That’s where  _ you  _ come in _ Le Chien— _ you’ll be Ange’s strength.”

“ _ Ja _ ,” Diedrich responded, shortly. Diedrich was having mixed feelings about this situation—on one hand, he thought it was a decent idea and gave him a good chance to help Ange out. On the other hand, he knew Ange acted differently when he was around Diedrich. He was quite sheepish, to put it one way, for a reason Diedrich would rather not acknowledge. But it seemed that was  _ all  _ Vincent wanted him to do. From the first time Ange showed Diedrich this move to now, Vincent had been doing nothing but teasing Ange when he was around Diedrich. It was a little cold-blooded, but Vincent  _ was _ the type to love to watch people squirm. 

Diedrich held onto Ange’s slim waist as he got into position. First, climbing the pole, then letting himself fall back so he was hanging like a bat. Then, he unfurled his legs. Diedrich held his weight the whole time. 

“Alright, how's that feel?” Vincent asked. “Memorize the positioning.”

Ange closed his eyes like he was doing just that. “Okay.”

“Now memorize what it feels like to have  _ Le Chien _ hold you.”

“What!?” Ange’s eyes flew open, his face going pink. Diedrich tried not to look, for his sake. 

“Memorize how it feels to have  _ Le Chien’s _ support.” Vincent clarified with a cheeky smile. Dear God, Diedrich felt bad for Ange. He’d been under the very same teasing stare so many times before he was almost used to it, but not immune. Ange had only known that look for about a week which made it immensely more embarrassing. 

After a fair bit of silence, Ange nodded, letting Vincent know he’d memorized it. 

“Good,” Vincent said, his smile not fading. “Now, try it by yourself but _imagine_ _Le Chien’s_ support.”

Diedrich backed away after releasing Ange’s waist, letting him flip back down to the floor of the stage. Ange took a deep breath. Not meeting anyone’s gaze, he took hold of the pole again, he pulled himself up with confidence, flipped back, and held the pose. His eyes were closed as he did so—Diedrich didn’t know whether that was good or bad—but Vincent’s little mind game seemed to do the trick.

“You’re holding it!” Zuzu exclaimed, jumping up in excitement.

Ange opened his eyes, looking up at himself. He grinned, saying, “I-I am!”

Just then, his balance swayed and he tilted off sideways. Well, a few seconds is better than one. Maybe this wouldn’t be a  _ complete _ disaster. 

“Brilliant,” Vincent announced, turning to the group. “Now, everyone else, let’s all get a little more practice in. There are a limited number of hours before the show starts and we don’t want anyone caught unprepared.” Vincent switched his attention back to the stage. “Ange, keep practicing and memorizing your piece.”

Ange nodded, looking slightly more confident. If ‘confidence’ looked like a wilted flower that finally got a bit of water and perked up a bit, then Ange was glowing with it. Diedrich still had a bad feeling in his gut, but at least he could be of some help to Ange in this situation. He’d grown protective of these kids, despite his reservations upon first meeting them. 

He just hoped he wouldn’t feel the need to protect Ange when he goes on stage that night. He hoped Ange had two legs he could stand on, even with the hypothetical cane of Diedrich’s support. 

* * *

And so, the few hours remaining passed by as usual with Diedrich keeping an eye on the boys, them practicing, and Aline nowhere to be seen. Diedrich always wondered what she did in her office all day. Perhaps she counted the money. Prepared wages, ordered supplies for the Lion’s Den, or maybe she was doing something completely different. Something Diedrich couldn’t even speculate about since he barely knew her or anything about this place. It was one of the things Diedrich was looking forward to uncovering once he and Vincent completed their mission. 

That time, however, would come sooner than they expected. 

Swept into the bustling night, the performances began and the air was filled with excitement. Diedrich noticed some newcomers who were possibly invited recently and took note of the regulars once again. This time, however, he did not see Father Farley. Before Diedrich had met him, the Father was actually always there, right under his nose. It made Diedrich uneasy to know that he was almost always watching them but it also made Diedrich curious as to why the Father was there in the first place. As a holy man, shouldn’t he always stay away from here? It just felt off. And that was one of many. 

Once the show began, the order went as usual. Lotus to start them off, Chase to follow after, and Mbali after that. The difference this time would be that Ange would open for Vincent’s finale and that was what had Diedrich the most worried. 

He tried to distract his mind by thinking about anything else: the mission, Farley, Aline—but the truth was that he couldn’t get his mind off of Ange. Ange had a lot riding on this and, if he messed it up, there would be nothing good to hear from the Mademoiselle. Going by her current state, he might even get in trouble. 

After a bit longer of agonizing anticipation, it was finally Ange’s turn on stage. As usual, Aline introduced him.

“Well, everyone, I hope you are enjoying yourselves this evening,” Aline started, giving the crowd a pleased look. The crowd, giddy and drunk, cheered in response. “ _ Bon, bon _ … I must say, our little performance has been going through some changes lately. One of our regulars, Diamond, is injured and unable to perform.” The crowd reacted with mixed messages. Some booed, some responded in sympathetic ‘aw’s, but their reaction wouldn’t bring Diamond out on stage, even if he was  _ actually  _ here and  _ actually  _ injured. “I know, my friends, but we must make some sacrifices. But, please, do not fret—you will get your entertainment yet! Please welcome to the stage, one of our  _ chaton— _ Ange!”

The crowd, despite their earlier reaction, cheered as Aline got off the stage. Ange, after a pause, did appear on stage. He froze, looking out at the crowd, his eyes wide. 

_ Pretend they’re not there. C’mon. _ Diedrich thought, trying to send Ange a mental message. 

After several people coughed, someone shouted, “Get on with it, then, kitten!” eliciting a few chuckles from around the room. 

At that moment, Diedrich pulled off his mask, hoping Ange would be able to catch this movement and meet his gaze. Luckily, he did. Diedrich nodded to him, his expression serious but encouraging. Ange gulped down what seemed like a large lump in his throat before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. 

Ange motioned for the band to start the song. When they did, Ange began his dance. The cartwheel went well enough, but the landing was uneasy, making it noticeable when Ange nabbed the pole in fear of falling. Thankfully, he didn’t stop, and continued with the music. 

His dance wasn’t nearly as impressive as Diamond’s and, if anything, it was more subdued than when he was practicing. His flourishing movements were now wilted and the bold spins were now shy turns. Despite what he saw earlier, it wasn’t bad for his first time. However, he did not taunt the crowd as much as the older boys, which probably made it boring. Diedrich would just be glad when it was over. 

Speaking of over, Ange was just moving on to the last move. Diedrich, unable to do much more, held his breath. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was actually  _ praying.  _ Praying for Ange’s success in the final pose above anything else. 

With what looked like his remaining confidence, Ange swept himself up onto the pole at center stage, legs straight to start, then, with the last rush of music, split, his feet nearly reaching his head. 

When the music ended, Ange held his position, which received a few whistles from the members. Following them was slow-growing applause like the crowd had enjoyed themselves but not enough to shout about it. Diedrich was among them, making sure the clapping was loud enough, which earned him a few strange looks but he did not care. Ange needed the support. 

With a meek smile and a few quick bows, Ange scurried off the stage as Aline returned to it. 

“ _ Merci, merci _ for your support of our little  _ chaton.  _ He is still working diligently, so one day he can satisfy your desires in more and more daring ways.” Aline smiled and a few in the crowd whooped. “As usual, we will have a little break before the final performance, which will be done by none other than Dot!”

At this, the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers. The contrast was striking. Diedrich hoped Ange didn’t take it  _ too  _ personally. 

* * *

After another impeccable performance from Vincent, Diedrich attended his usual duties as the bouncer, making sure every member of the Lion’s Den was gone. He was in a hurry, as he wanted to see the state of Ange after his first performance. Hopefully, he could get to him before Aline did. 

Rushing past the staff who were cleaning up, Diedrich burst into the backroom to see everyone changing, no one looking particularly upset. They all looked up when Diedrich entered, but Ange was the first to greet him. 

“ _ Le Chien _ !” Ange got up and jumped on Diedrich, unexpectedly, wrapping him in a hug. Uneasily, Diedrich returned it. “I did it! I did the whole performance! And the final move!”

“Uh, that you did. Well done.” Diedrich nodded, glad to see Ange wasn’t dismayed. 

“I thought it was great for your first time on stage,” Chase said from one of the vanities where he was removing his makeup. “You were a little shy, but that doesn’t matter. You’ll definitely be stealing hearts in no time.”

“Th-Thank you, Chase,” Ange responded, blushing slightly at the thought. He turned back to Diedrich, craning his neck to look Diedrich in the eye. “It was all thanks to  _ Le Chien _ ’s support! Without your encouragement, I don’t think I would have been able to move…”

“‘Encouragement,’ eh?” Vincent piped in and Diedrich flinched. Vincent didn’t need to know about that.

Ange was about to start explaining, but Diedrich interrupted. “He was talking about when I held him up, right?”

Ange looked confused but quickly understood when Diedrich gave him an almost desperate look. “Oh,  _ oui _ , imagining his hands on my waist helped a lot!”

This received a few hushed snickers from the group, making Diedrich frown and Ange turn bright red. “Ah-ah,  _ non, non _ ! I mean—”

“It’s okay, we know what you mean.” Vincent stopped Ange before he could make it any worse. Vincent gave Ange a sincere smile, tilting his head. “As I suspected, you’ve got a talent.”

Ange looked away, biting his lip, seemingly unable to say anything in response.

Out of nowhere, another voice started shouting from behind Diedrich and he turned around to see none other than Mademoiselle Aline stomping into the room. Her eyes were on Ange immediately. “You were a disgrace up there!”

Ange gasped as his eyes suddenly started overflowing with tears. 

“Did you not practice? Hm!?”

“I did-I did, Mademoiselle! I did the best I could, it was only my first time—“ Ange blubbered through his tears. But a moment ago he was being praised; every mistake he made on stage must have been flooding back into his mind, blocking out the successes. 

“I don’t need your excuses! You’re lucky Dot went after you—we would have lost all our money!” Aline insisted, ruffling her dress, violently. 

“Mademoiselle, he did great for his first time!” Chase chimed in, attempting to step between them. Aline was not having it. 

“ _ Non _ ! Ange is old enough to know what a  _ real _ performance is supposed to be!” Aline reeled on Chase, pointing her finger in his face. “This is  _ not  _ some little ballet! He knows perfectly well what these men are here for—seduction! And that was nothing but a little merrymaking around a pole.”

“Mademoiselle, he’s fourteen!” Lotus started, shaking his head. “Give him a little credit.”

“Diamond was fourteen when  _ he _ started! And he was perfect from the beginning!” Aline suddenly spat on the ground at Ange’s feet, making him recoil in horror. “You should be ashamed of yourself. All of you! There’s no point in prayers tonight!” Aline took a heavy breath through gritted teeth, before finally saying, “God can’t find you down here.”

With that, Aline stormed out of the dressing room, leaving everyone speechless. Diedrich could hardly believe what was happening. Aline had put too much pressure on Ange from the start, but this? This was abuse. She knew how much the boys cared about her opinion, but above all, she knew how weak Ange was. She was like a mother to these kids and she just wounded every single one. 

Suddenly, Ange turned to Leo, who stood shocked behind him. “ _ Still _ think she  _ cares _ !?” Ange hissed, the tears flowing down his cheeks not ceasing, but his demeanor that of a cornered cat ready to pounce. Ange pushed past Leo, wiping his face and heading for their shared room. 

“A-Ange, I—!” Leo tried, but Ange did not listen. 

Out from the main hall, Diedrich heard Aline call for him. With a quick glance at Vincent, he rushed to the doorway to answer. When he was in view of Mademoiselle Aline, who seemed to be on her way out, she said, “I am leaving for the night. I don’t know when I will be back. See that everything is taken care of.”

Before Diedrich could respond, Aline disappeared among the curtains. 

Diedrich looked down, distraught. Everything was falling apart right before his eyes. He didn’t know if he should be worried or relieved. He knew he and Vincent weren’t planning on staying around for much longer, so Aline would lose another star and, after that, more than likely lose members. Diedrich hadn’t anticipated this system being so frail, but one of the key players  _ did _ just up and vanish. 

Diedrich tiptoed back into the dressing room, Zuzu and Aais both crying quietly, while the rest of the group stared at the ground sorrowfully and deep in thought. Vincent was the only one who wasn’t there. 

“Where is Dot?” Diedrich asked. It was louder than he expected, but maybe that’s because it was met with the dead silence of the room. 

“With Ange,” Lotus whispered, his shoulders low. Diedrich had never seen him so down. The happiest one in the group couldn’t even find light in this situation. Diedrich couldn’t blame them. Aline had just shunned them and basically said they were damned. Not the easiest thing to overcome. 

Diedrich, despite wanting to stay and comfort the group, thought it was best to meet with Vincent. He made his way back to the boys’ room, where he heard soft voices. Slowly, Diedrich cracked the door open and saw Ange laying in Vincent’s lap as Vincent stroked his light blond hair. 

“There, there, I know…” Vincent cooed as Ange wiped his face.

“ _ Je la déteste! _ ” Ange sobbed, rolling back and forward like a child. “ _ Elle est si cruelle!” _

“ _ Je comprends. Tu vas bien, _ ” Vincent responded, rubbing Ange’s back. 

At this, Ange sat up and looked Vincent in the eye, tears still falling. “ _ Parle toi Français?” _

“ _ Oui _ ,” Vincent said with a smile. He brushed Ange’s hair behind his ear before continuing, “ _ Voulez-vous partir d'ici, Ange? _ ”

__ “Huh?” Ange inquired, obviously not believing his ears. Diedrich couldn’t either. If he was translating what Vincent was saying right, he was asking Ange if he wanted to leave this place. Was now really the time to ask such a thing? Diedrich didn’t want to question Vincent’s judgment, but one of these kids could easily turn their back on Vincent, who they’ve only known for days, and rat him out to Mademoiselle Aline. Diedrich hoped Vincent knew what he was doing. 

“‘ _ Partir d'ici’? _ ” Ange asked and Diedrich held his breath hoping Ange wouldn’t take it the wrong way. “ _ Où? _ ” 

“ _ Je connais un endroit, mais... Es-tu prêt à me faire confiance _ ?” Vincent tilted his head, and it was at this point that Diedrich was starting to lose full understanding of the conversation. Diedrich knew French, it had just been a while since he’d heard it spoken. He also knew that Vincent was far more fluent than he was. 

Diedrich watched them finish their conversation, picking up on the essence of it before Ange settled down to rest. Vincent had been relaying to him some sort of plan that Diedrich could only piece together. It sounded fair but risky. And when would the plan be implemented? 

The last thing Diedrich saw was Vincent slipping a folded piece of paper under Ange’s pillow. He stepped back as Vincent made his way out. 

“I think it’s best if we strike tonight,” Vincent said, leaning on the door after he shut it.

“Tonight!? Are you mad?” Diedrich hissed, glancing behind him as though someone would hear.

“Aline is spiraling out of control and I don’t know how much longer we can wait until everything comes to the surface in the worst way possible. I’ve already instructed Ange on what to do.” Vincent gazed behind him at the door where he left Ange, going quiet for a moment. “Any word from our friend, Reed?”

“Reed?” Diedrich repeated, thinking about it. The man in the owl mask, Jalen Reed, had not appeared in the Lion’s Den since the night they met up in the back alley. “I haven’t seen him.”

“Well, that might not be good,” Vincent said, his expression changing to that of something more thoughtful with a hand on his chin. “Alright, let’s get everyone to bed. Pretend to lock their doors but do not. Once everyone is in bed, we will break into the office.”

“Isn’t this a little brash?” Diedrich shook his head, trying to meet Vincent’s eye. 

“I think it’s about time, don’t you? Or did you want to wait until someone  _ else  _ disappears?” Vincent asked, sliding past Diedrich. “I’m going to finish changing. We will meet up once everyone’s ‘locked up’”.

Diedrich didn’t really have a good argument against it. He didn’t want to wait until someone else  _ disappeared _ —perhaps he wanted to wait for someone to  _ reappear _ . He just didn’t think now was the right time to make a move. As well, he didn’t know when the ‘right time’ would be. If he knew Vincent like he thought he did, he knew that Vincent was often aware of more information than he let on or shared. In any case, Diedrich had no choice but to follow Vincent’s instructions. 

Braving the melancholy atmosphere, Diedrich put everyone to bed and, as instructed, didn’t lock the doors. He put the key in and turned it in the opposite direction to make it sound like he did. Once everyone was away, Diedrich went to retrieve Vincent. 

When Vincent answered the door, Diedrich found him in a full suit, most likely what he came to this place in. Diedrich hadn’t seen him properly dressed in so long it was almost shocking. 

“What? Too much?” Vincent asked, straightening his jacket. “We’re just going into her office, stealing evidence, and leading everyone out. I’ll need to be presentable on the street, right?”

Diedrich frowned, not happy that he was still only wearing his undershirt and black slacks, but it was too late for him to change. If they were going to do something, they needed to do it fast. What happened if Aline came back unexpectedly? They’d get caught and, surely, end up like the other nobles, wherever they went. 

Diedrich stood watch as Vincent picked the lock on Aline’s office door. Diedrich gazed around the darkness, listening for any sounds other than the lock clicking as Vincent worked on it. He had a candle on hand which illuminated the short, dead-end hall where Aline’s office was. Diedrich did not usually stay up any later than when he put the performers to bed, so the darkness of the basement didn’t really set in. But right now, Diedrich felt like anything could jump out of the darkness. Probably just his paranoia, though. 

Suddenly, the lock popped and Vincent turned the doorknob. “And just like that, we’re in.” Vincent smiled at Diedrich, which he did not return. He just raised an eyebrow. “What? It’s a good skill, yes?”

“You’re not invited to my house.” Diedrich retorted, turning toward the door.

“You have no need to worry, I don’t plan on it,” Vincent pocketed the pen he was using. “Unless there are secrets I can unlock.”

“Yeah, right.”

A sly smile remaining on his face, Vincent opened the door where, strangely, candlelight trickled into the short hall. Diedrich’s eyes were met with several shelves on the back wall with what seemed to be small shrines on them. Each had two candles that were lit, nearly burnt down to the base where piles of candle wax had hardened to the wood. In between each of the candles was a mask with a cross behind it. All in all, there were around five.

Below them, in the middle of the room, there was a large desk strewn with papers, coins, and letters. There were even stacks of paper and several books on the floor next to it. Aline was not the most sorted person, was she? 

“Someone’s been keeping up with the paper,” Vincent observed, his attention on the wall opposite them. Pinned to it were clippings of the news about the very same disappearances they were investigating. If that wasn’t incriminating enough, Diedrich noticed something else from the little shrines on the shelves that made him jerk. One of the masks looked exactly like Diamond’s and, upon closer inspection, Diedrich saw that it did indeed belong to Diamond. 

“Why would she…?” Diedrich started, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He looked at the other shrines and realized that they each perhaps belonged to performers who were killed. Were they sacrifices? Did each of them escape only to be victims? Was Aline behind  _ all _ of this?

“Dee, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not her.” Vincent cut through Diedrich’s thoughts. 

“Come now, Phantomhive—how could it not have been her?” Diedrich whirled on him, shoving Diamond’s mask in his face. “This was  _ Diamond’s _ ! Is it some sort of coincidence? Am I supposed to believe she  _ didn’t  _ kill them!?”

“She cares about her performers too much. Especially Diamond, she would not kill him. This has to be something bigger,” Vincent replied, looking at the cross closer. He then noticed the candles flicking unusually. Vincent looked at the wall next to the shrines, then down at the bottom of it. There was a small gap. “Dee… remember the secret tunnel?”

“ _ Ja. _ ” Diedrich approached the wall, not liking where this was going. He felt along it before knocking on it. Certainly, it was hollow. 

“Let me try something.” Vincent stepped in front of Diedrich. He put his fingertips on the wall, pressing down on them from one side to the other until, on the opposite side, the wall clicked in and popped out. Vincent looked pleased. “There we are.” He pulled it the rest of the way open. 

Diedrich held up their candle, blocking the rush of air so that it didn’t go out. “A tunnel indeed.”

“After you,” Vincent offered, stepping back. Diedrich shook his head with a scoff then started on his way in. The ceiling was very low, so he had to bend down to fit. Vincent followed behind. The walls were as moist as the air was musty, so Diedrich tried not to touch them too much. 

They reached the end of the tunnel, finding a stone staircase that led down to a dark, pit-like place. Diedrich shared a look with Vincent before he started to descend the stairs, carefully. 

Nearest the bottom, he noticed that the ground below had a thin layer of water on it, making Diedrich recoil. “Ugh, disgusting…”

Diedrich splashed into the water and Vincent followed behind him, one foot at a time. “Truly.”

Diedrich swung his candle around in the dark and found, hanging on the wall, another candelabra. He lit the short candles before passing them to Vincent. “One of London’s catacombs, don’t you think?”

“Yes. And going by the pool on the ground, they’re abandoned,” Vincent responded, lifting his pant legs on each side like a dress so that the cuffs didn’t touch the water. He trudged forward, ahead of Diedrich, revealing a fork in their road. He looked in either direction, following his candlelight. Then he looked in both directions again, hiding his candle. “There’s a faint light that way. Let’s go.” Vincent started to move, but Diedrich stopped him by grabbing his shoulder. 

“Phantomhive, shouldn’t we  _ not  _ go in the direction of the light? We’ll get caught!” Diedrich asked in a hushed tone.

“You have your gun, don’t you?” Vincent responded. 

“Yes.”

“Then we’ll be fine. You’re here to protect me, after all.” 

Diedrich rolled his eyes, officially tired of all the pressure he had on him as of late. He couldn’t wait to leave and go back to Germany, far away from imminent danger.

Nonetheless, Diedrich followed Vincent as he shuffled forward through the shallow water toward the faint light down the pitch-black corridor, past cobwebs, and dusty shelves that sunk into the walls. Since these were catacombs, they were lucky those shelves were free of coffins. However, the halls were not free from the distinct smell of decay. Diedrich started feeling sick. Additionally, he could have sworn he heard a rushing sound, like wind, roaring in his ears. It was faint but noticeable. As they continued down the hall, the sound got louder and louder. Diedrich couldn’t quite place what he was hearing.

When the light got brighter, they both slowed down. They started hearing the sound of dripping water. It was coming from the opening to their left—a square doorway carved into the rock. Vincent slid along the wall, trying not to splash the water on the ground, and peeked around the corner. 

“What do you see?” Diedrich whispered. 

“There are… some people, but they are just sitting in what appear to be church pews,” Vincent concluded. “They’re not moving.”

“What do you mean?”

Vincent leaned down and grabbed a loose rock from the shallow water. To Diedrich’s heart-stopping shock, he threw it into the room, making a loud, echoing sound. He watched the men inside. “No reaction.” Vincent moved to take a step into the open chamber. 

“Are you out of your mind!?” Diedrich hissed, grabbing Vincent’s shoulder again, this time more roughly. 

“They’re not responding, Dee, clearly there’s something wrong with them.” He pushed Diedrich’s hand off his shoulder and proceeded. Diedrich reluctantly followed behind him, checking the halls to see if anyone was there, his blood pressure spiking. 

When Diedrich saw the chamber, he was aghast. There were several torches lining the edges of the room. More specifically, there was a pyre at the center, illuminating a gigantic, gilded Christ on his cross. However, the most disturbing thing in there had to be the several naked men sitting in church-like pews, unmoving. As Diedrich got closer, they were unblinking. Then the sickening scent he had been sampling earlier hit him and he covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve. 

They were dead. 

“Dee.” Vincent got his attention, nodding to one of the pew-members. Diedrich recognized him as the owl man, Jalen Reed. “Guess he found what he was looking for, too.”

Looking around more, Diedrich also noticed the crazy pervert that attacked Chase they had captured only two days ago, slumped over in one of the pews. 

“These must be the missing noblemen,” Vincent pointed out, also covering his mouth. 

Suddenly, a voice croaked from beyond the pews. “Hello…? Please, help me...”

Diedrich and Vincent found their way around to the front row only for Diedrich’s heart to jump out of his chest. 

“Diedrich is that… you…?” It was Diamond. He was covered in grime, bruises, and cuts, all of which were completely exposed as he was not wearing anything to cover his body. There was dried blood all over his skin from the cuts, which made him look like a talking corpse. His hands were tied behind him where he sat on his knees before the cross. 

“Diamond!” Diedrich immediately fell to his knees with a splash, moving to free Diamond from the rope that tied him to the pew behind him, but Diamond leaned away from him. 

“No, no… you must leave,” Diamond wheezed. He looked dehydrated and woozy, presumably from all the blood loss. 

“Not without you. Come on, we’ll get you out,” Diedrich insisted, returning his attention to the ropes. He loosened them and Diamond’s hands broke free. Slowly, Diamond dragged them around onto his lap where he fell forward, the rope seeming to be the only thing keeping him upright in the first place. Diedrich, of course, was quick to catch him and even laid his head in his lap. 

“I thought—I’d never see you again…” Diamond managed a meek smile, his eyes rolling back into his head which lulled. Diedrich put one of his hands on Diamond’s cheeks to keep him steady. “I’ve been… thinking about you… a lot…”

“Me too,” Diedrich responded, distracted by the state of Diamond’s body. 

“Diamond, what happened?” Vincent asked, crouching down next to Diamond’s face, 

“They—they took me…,” Diamond took a short breath then coughed. “I-I ran away but he found me… the Father.”

“The Father? Farley?” Diedrich demanded, his anger building. 

Diamond nodded. “He was… planning to sacrifice me, but Aline… let me go…”

Diedrich was shocked to hear this. So Aline had orchestrated Diamond’s escape? It made sense since Diedrich didn’t even see him leave. He didn’t really care at the moment how she did it, but he was at least glad Aline didn’t intentionally feed Diamond to the dogs. He was just saddened that her plan to protect Diamond hadn’t worked.

“Diedrich, you need… to go… he’ll catch you!” Diamond insisted, putting his bloodied hand on Diedrich’s face. Diedrich grabbed it, squeezing it. 

“No, he won’t. No one knows we’re down here,” Diedrich responded. He quickly unbuttoned and removed his shirt in order to give Diamond something to wear. He draped it over Diamond’s body before he realized Diamond was bleeding again. “Diamond—“ Diedrich sat him up, seeing the cuts on his thighs were deeper than he thought. His movement, though it was minimal, reopened the wound that had only just clotted. 

Diedrich immediately took his shirt and ripped it, taking off the sleeves to use as something to stop the blood. He lifted Diamond’s limp body, leaning him against his chest, and unfolded his leg in order to wrap the sleeve around his thigh. 

Vincent removed his jacket and used that to cover Diamond instead. Diedrich grunted as he tightened the wrappings, making Diamond stir from the pain.

As though he wanted to cover it up, Diamond whispered, “I didn’t know you were a doctor.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not,” Diedrich scoffed, a little relieved that Diamond was still conscious enough to make jokes. 

“Get him up and let’s go,” Vincent commanded, leaning down to help. Together, they trudged toward the exit, splashing through the water. But as soon they got to the end of the pews, out of nowhere, another voice echoed in the chambers.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave.” It was a man in a masquerade mask. Diedrich recognized the mask—it was the man who typically sat quietly by himself and seemed to be there to simply enjoy the show. The purple and gold mask. A man who wore many rings had his arms calmly placed behind his back in long, church-like robes. Farley.

“What an unexpected surprise,” Vincent responded. “I didn’t think an esteemed guest of ours would be behind these disappearances.”

“Sir, sir, you forgot your shawl!” Another voice came from behind the man in the mask. Splashing around the corner came none other than Mr. McKnight, carrying a long piece of black cloth. He froze for a moment when he saw Diedrich. “ _Le Chien_?”

“McKnight,” Diedrich responded, uneasily. McKnight looked away with a guilty expression but jumped to throw the black shawl over Father Farley and once it settled, Diedrich recognized him too. 

“Father Farley… as usual, it’s a pleasure,” Vincent said with a short curtsy. “Unfortunately, it seems, I’m not dressed for the occasion.” Vincent gestured to the many victims in the pews who lacked any sort of clothing. 

Diedrich watched as the Father laughed, dryly. “Worry not, Dot. Soon you will both be dressed for the… correct occasion.” He stepped down into the chamber and Diedrich brandished his gun, adjusting his grip around Diamond’s waist.

“Don’t move any closer.” 

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” The Father warned. “I’m certain you’ve heard it by now, but that rushing sound is not the air. It is an underground river. Every time it rains a little too hard, these chambers are flooded, purifying them. And those that are in them.”

Diedrich looked at the men slumped in the pews again. He noticed that each one had a short chain attached to their ankles, anchoring them to the floor.  _ They had been drowned… _

“As you can imagine, the framework in this place is quite fragile. Any more pressure, any more sound, could cause it to collapse. And we’d all be in it…” Father Farley explained further.

“Put it down, Dee,” Vincent said, calmly. Diedrich squinted but did as he was told, putting the gun back in the hostler behind him and his arm back around Diamond’s shoulders, putting himself between Diamond and the Father, protectively. 

“Well, Father, now that you’ve trapped us, what do you plan on doing with us?” Vincent asked outwardly, making Diedrich cringe slightly. Was he crazy? They needed to escape, not hear how they were about to die. Diamond was already worse for wear, barely able to stand. He had been in and out against Diedrich’s shoulder ever since he got on his feet.

“I’m sure you would love to know the details. Ideally, I would like to purify you both,” Father Farley started. McKnight was still behind him, cowering under his robes. “Since you’re already here, I need only wait for the next great rainfall. But, I don’t think that will be enough.”

“What do you mean?” Diedrich countered. 

“Much like your friends, your sins are too deep to be purged with surface-level purification. That would require  _ blood, _ ” The Father stated, squeezing his fist righteously. “I have already seen into your souls—they are  _ black _ . Black with unclean thoughts—black with sin.”

Diedrich looked over at Vincent to see if he was following along. Vincent did not share the look. He remained still and calm, listening to Father Farley intently. Vincent unfurled a questioning hand, “Is this ‘sin’ the same ‘sin’ of your playtime with the boys of the club? Or during our time at church?”

Father Farley’s face gnarled in rage, “I am helping those boys! I am purifying them at the hands of God Himself! They should be grateful!”

The loudness of his voice reverberated so strongly a bit of dust sprinkled from the ceiling. 

“Father, please, remain calm,” Eric said behind him. “You needn’t let a sinner's words affect you so.”

Father Farley cleared his throat, shaking his shoulders out as he cracked his neck. Every movement was making Diedrich more and more uneasy. “Yes, yes, you’re right, Eric. I am grateful for your ever-calming presence. Now, shall we get down to business?”

“Ready when you are, I suppose,” Vincent retorted, confidently. The Father didn’t make any indication that he was at all intimidated by Vincent’s words. 

“Eric? The boy,” Father commanded and Diedrich wasn’t certain what he was referring to until Eric, in the blink of an eye, had a knife around Diedrich’s neck. Diedrich’s heart stopped, unsure of what just happened. When was Eric so fast? On top of that, he had a painful grip with unexpected strength on Diedrich’s shoulder as he hung off of his back.

“Stop!” Vincent shouted as Eric put more pressure on Diedrich’s neck, breaking the surface enough to cause blood to trickle down into Diedrich’s shirt. 

“Relax, Dot, we won’t kill you yet,” Farley approached Diedrich and held out his hand. “The pistol, please.” 

Diedrich’s eyes flicked between the Father, Diamond, and the knife, his breathing uneasy. He had to be careful in this situation—careful how he moved, careful what he said. The Father could change his mind at any moment. 

Slowly, Diedrich reached back and pulled his gun from its holster in his pants, turned it over in his hand, and placed it in Farley’s. “Thank you. Now, if you would be so kind as to escort Diamond back to where he was, we can get started.”

“With what?” Diedrich grunted, Eric’s grip not wavering in the slightest. 

“You shall see soon enough, my boy,” Father Farley then turned to Vincent. “My dear Dot—where did you find such high-class clothing? Surely, you did not steal them. Anything you wish to share?”

“I supposed I have not been completely honest with you, Father,” Vincent said after he shared one final look with Diedrich. Diedrich waved him off. He would be fine. Vincent needed to worry about himself. “I have a confession, of sorts.”

Father Farley laughed, “A confession? How apropos. Do tell me, my child—what ails you?”

Diedrich lost track of their conversation as Eric nudged him to get moving. With some difficulty, Diedrich trudged back to where they found Diamond. Eric was still hanging off of him like a monkey on his back (a monkey with a knife) and Diamond had regained consciousness enough to understand what was happening. He was grunting in pain and Diedrich noticed there were tears streaming down his cheeks, creating streaks in the grime and blood that marred his beautiful face. If Diedrich had any room to even  _ breathe  _ he would be trying to comfort Diamond. But that proved difficult in his current position.

They reached the front of the pews and Eric stepped off of Diedrich onto the front row seat, but nary gave him room to take a breath. Slowly, Diedrich leaned down to try and let Diamond down a little easier, but Eric jerked Diedrich’s head back, making Diamond slip from his grasp and drop to the floor with a thud. He slumped into the water below and Diedrich was worried he might drown. 

Suddenly, Eric grabbed one of Diedrich’s wrist and yanked it behind his back, painfully. “Hold still while I tie you. I’ll help your lover in a second.”

Diedrich complied, anxiously. 

Eric pulled the rope so tight around Diedrich’s wrist that Diedrich could feel it chafe and dig into his skin. 

Eric pushed Diedrich to his knees before the altar, right next to Diamond. Quickly, he checked on Diamond. His face was above the shallow water and he was breathing weakly. Eric grabbed Diamond from under his neck and lifted him so that he was sitting up.

With a groan, Diamond leaned on Diedrich’s shoulder. Eric, thankfully, didn’t seem to care. He became preoccupied with what Vincent and the Father we’re discussing, the knife still held to Diedrich’s throat but distractedly.

“So, what you’re saying is you’ve implemented many crimes, hiding from God in the shadows?” Diedrich heard the Father say. 

“Well, in a way, yes,” Vincent responded. Diedrich couldn’t see them—how close were they? Did Farley have a knife to Vincent’s throat? What was Vincent’s plan? He was acting as a distraction; Diedrich knew that much. But what was Diedrich to do? He was tied up with a knife to his throat.  _ Think, think, think! _

“To tell you the truth, I work for the Queen,” Vincent explained, his voice echoing off the walls. “I wasn’t a beggar desperate for work and guidance. In fact, I am a noble myself. You may have heard of me: the Earl, Vincent Phantomhive.”

“Phantomhive!?” Farley exclaimed, laughing maniacally. “This can’t be— _ you  _ are the Lord Phantomhive?”

“Guilty.”

Father Farley scoffed, “Certainly, you are…”

Suddenly, Diedrich heard a shuffle and thud. Alarmed, he disregarded the risk of his own neck to see what happened. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the Father had pinned Vincent against the back-most pew, pushing his head down between the corpses.

“Phantomhive!”

“Hold it, Dee, I can handle it!” Vincent snapped back almost instantly, the exact opposite of the calm, calculating voice he was using seconds ago. Diedrich knew what that tone meant—that Vincent was leading the Father into some sort of trap that requires no small amount of cunning. 

“You’re certainly protective of each other, aren’t you?” The Father mused. He felt along Vincent’s body, openly. “Not carrying any weapons, are you?”

“Just my words,” Vincent responded, his voice returning to its original nature. 

A familiar clicking sounded in the room and Diedrich knew Farley had found Vincent’s gun. “Liar.”

“I don’t see that as a weapon anymore, if it means I must die to use it,” Vincent remarked, squirming under the weight of the Father leaning on his back. “More of a… last resort.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you won’t be able to use it, eh?” The Father then turned his attention to the doorway. “Aline—are you planning to join us anytime soon or do you wish to just stand there?”

_ Aline _ ? Diedrich couldn’t see her, but he heard her as she walked in. It sounded like it was more than her footsteps alone sloshing through the water, however. Who was her companion?

“So, you've caught the vermin,” Aline noted when she joined them in the chamber. 

“I saw dark things in the guard dog, but this one,” Father Farley chuckled in a most unsettling way. “This one is special. He’s the Lord Phantomhive—perhaps the most soulless noble of them all. He’s in charge of shadows in the underworld. Certainly, his death would be a relief to the world.”

“Indeed,” Aline remarked, unable to hide her surprise. “He will require special treatment. Gage, tie him up.”

_ Gage _ !? Gage was here! Had he already recovered enough from his injury to walk? Even if he hadn’t, Diedrich was sure the Mademoiselle would have no problem forcing him to work anyway. 

He came into view and he took Vincent by the wrists and wrenched him up, causing Vincent to knock his head against Gage’s chest. As Gage yanked Vincent around the pews, making it easier for Diedrich to see what was going on, he noticed that Gage was still limping. And, upon the clearer view, saw that from the knee down was replaced with a peg leg. He had had it amputated. 

Again, Vincent was pushed so that he was leaned over the altar, only this time, Gage was behind him. Gage gave Diedrich a cocky grin as he pressed his hips into Vincent’s ass. It was enough to make Diedrich’s blood boil. Diedrich didn’t kill him, but he wished he had now. 

“If you so much as lay a finger on him, it won’t be your knee you’ll have to worry about!” Diedrich shouted, spit flying. 

“Bold words coming from a man with a knife to his throat,” Aline said on the other side of Diedrich. Diedrich glared at her, remembering what Diamond had said. How she was the one to help him escape in the first place. Silently, Diedrich pleaded to her for help. If she wasn’t on Farley’s side, what side was she on? Would she even  _ want  _ to help? 

“Gage, prepare him,” Father Farley commanded, then approached Diedrich. “What are you to him?”

Diedrich watched in horror as Gage lifted Vincent and dropped him onto his back on the table, knocking candles off in the process. He then proceeded to rip open Vincent’s shirt, tearing it to shreds as buttons flew every which way. “Stop this—stop this now!”

“Who are you to him!?” Farley demanded once more, louder. 

“He is nobody, Father! A loyal dog!” Vincent answered for Diedrich. “He’s like a puppy, he’ll do anything I say.”

“Anything? Anything at all?” The Father asked, raising his brow. He turned back to Eric and spat, “Get him up.”

Diedrich looked back at Aline, desperately, as Eric dragged him to his feet, knife poised. Aline made no indication that she would help. She didn’t even meet his eye. 

Eric forced Diedrich toward the altar that sat up on a raised platform, a few steps above the water. Diedrich looked back at Diamond who was still sitting up, but his eyes were closed. He was deathly pale, probably near the brink.

Diedrich had to end this quickly, or none of them would make it. 

“Gage, give him the knife,” Father Farley instructed, and Gage did as he was told. Gage lifted a dagger laced in gold and silver from its place on the table and shoved it into Diedrich’s hand. Diedrich started at it, wondering what he was going to be made to do with it. 

“Order him to cut himself,” Farley commanded, addressing Vincent this time. 

“What!?” Diedrich spat, his gaze flicking between the knife and Vincent. Vincent didn’t show any outward reaction to this other than narrowing his eyes slightly. 

After a pause, he said, “You want me to tell him to cut himself? Why ever would I do that?”

“Because if he doesn’t, Gage will,” The Father explained, calmly, “and I don’t think you’re willing to allow that.”

“Are you calling my bluff?” Vincent’s gaze went dark, clearly not impressed with Father Farley’s antics. Diedrich watched Vincent’s mind as it went through hundreds of calculations at once. Diedrich wondered what he was contemplating—compliance or defiance? Probably both and their outcomes. Diedrich trusted Vincent enough to go along with whatever his decision ended up being. 

After Farley didn’t back down, Vincent sighed. “Fine. Diedrich, you know what to do, then.”

Diedrich’s chest sparked in hesitation. He squinted then looked at the dagger in his hand. If Vincent thought it was the best choice, Diedrich had no choice but to comply. “Where?”

“You’re forearm—slice the muscle there,” Vincent told him, jutting his chin towards Diedrich’s left arm. 

Diedrich took a short breath. His gaze turned down to his arm and he lifted it, slowly. He placed the dagger over it, the blade sharp enough to leave a paper-thin slice, when, suddenly, another voice could be heard echoing in the chambers. 

“Mademoiselle?” Everyone turned around at once, all eyes on none other than Leo, who had not followed Vincent’s instructions and instead somehow found his way down into the catacombs. Leo gasped when he saw the rows of dead bodies, his expression giving away his immediate regret. 

“Leo!” Aline hissed, stomping toward him. “What are you doing down here, boy!?”

“I-I was looking for you—those men, they-they're not who they say…” It was obviously difficult for Leo to speak when staring down so many corpses, but he managed to continue, “I heard them yesterday night when they were talking outside… after Diamond left.”

“Leo, you knew?” Aline questioned, her voice failing. She looked back at the group, mostly at the Father. Leo noticed him for the first time since he got there. 

“Father? Is that you, Father?” 

“Bring the boy here,” Farley said, out of the blue. 

“Father, no! He’s innocent!” Aline exclaimed, putting herself between them. 

“Mademoiselle, wha-what’s going on? Who are all these people? Are they—dead?” Leo sputtered, clinging to Aline’s skirt. 

“Aline, now is not the time to go soft! The boy has seen too much!” Farley shouted, waving his hand furiously. “It was only a matter of time for him, anyway. For all of them!”

Aline gulped but didn’t budge. “Please, let me take him back upstairs.”

“Aline, if you don’t listen, I’m going to—agh!” 

Suddenly, the Father collapsed to the ground with a splash. Diedrich’s attention was on him instantly and he saw that Diamond had managed to get some strength enough to stab Father Farley in the back of the knee with the pen that was left in Vincent’s jacket pocket. When he hit the ground, the guns he had confiscated went flying from his hands, one close to Diedrich’s foot. 

Diedrich snatched the gun from within the shallow water but it was immediately knocked out of his hands by Gage, who grabbed Diedrich around his chest, crushing his arms to his sides. 

Blood gushed from Farley’s wound, making the water around him turn red, he groaned as Eric attended to him, lifting him and acting as a crutch. Diamond had collapsed, unable to do much more. 

“Enough of this!” Farley kicked Diamond where he laid on the floor, sending his body rolling beneath the pews. Diedrich’s heart dropped. “Tie them up! All of them! It’s time to free their souls so they may start anew!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the finale!!! GET CRAZY!! Prepare yourselves... it's a bit of a doozy for many, many reasons. 😳
> 
> See ya next week!! ❤️


	7. His Butler, Freed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT, EVERYONE!!! Here is the finale...
> 
> You all may have noticed I skipped last week's posting. Part of the reason being I was busy the second being that I wanted to raise the suspense more and give everyone a chance to catch up before this heavy finale. So, here is the last of my baby I've been slaving over since March of last year!! 
> 
> Anyway, READ IT THEN SEE MY LAST NOTE AT THE END!!!

Diedrich, Vincent, Leo, and Aline were all lined up on their knees before the altar, their hands and feet were tied with gags in their mouths. To Diedrich’s right laid Diamond’s motionless body. To his left knelt Vincent who was looking as though he didn’t know what to do. That was a look Diedrich hadn’t seen in a while. 

Father Farley, injured as he was, stood above them at the table, his knife at the ready. “Bring me the first sinner.”

Eric complied, lifting Aline first by the collar of her dress. She struggled, her grunting muffled. She sounded like she was trying to say something but the gag blocked it. When they laid her out on the altar table, the Father removed the gag and she gasped in air.

“Any final words?”

“Please, Father! I’ve done nothing but serve you and God!” Aline begged, leaning toward Farley desperately. “I beg of you, let me and the boy go! We started this together!”

“We did not start this.  _ You _ did. When you killed your husband,” Farley responded. “You came to me and begged for forgiveness. I saw the potential in you to become part of the great saviors of mankind. But you have deluded yourself with earthly attachments. No one is free of sin. Not even this child. That is why, when I am done on this Earth and there isn’t a single soul left, I will take my own life in the name of God.

“He provided me with these hands so that I may continue my work. Even as my body ages, my hands do not,” Father Farley gazed down at his oddly youthful hands as he cradled his holy dagger. “So, my child, repent as His dagger pierces your heart and carves the holy symbol there. Only then will you find peace.”

Diedrich watched as the Father lifted the dagger. Aline screamed and the blade plunged into her chest. Instantly, her screams turned into a choking gasp. Once the blade was in as deep as it could go, the Father twisted it so that it was going the opposite direction, making Aline let out another broken wail. 

It was almost too much for Diedrich to watch. But as Farley carved, Diedrich started to recognize the pattern. Just like on the previous victims that were left in the street, Father Farley was carving a cross into the chest cavity over the heart. 

Next to him, he heard Leo sobbing. When he looked, Diedrich saw that Vincent had shielded Leo, leaning into him so that Leo could hide his eyes. It didn’t block his ears though and Diedrich was sure he could hear every sound. 

Once everything was quiet again, Father Farley wrenched the knife from Aline’s lifeless body. He pushed her from the altar and she landed on her front with a heavy  _ thud _ and  _ splash  _ in the shallow water below. Immediately, blood seeped from her gaping wound and flowed into the water, billowing like a red cloud. 

Father Farley’s piercing gaze was on his remaining victims. He looked between the three of them, as though he were gaging their sins. “It would be suiting to keep the Phantomhive for the… grand finale, of sorts,” Farley mumbled, his eyes stopping on Leo. Diedrich’s anxiety heightened. Not the boy. “Bring me the boy.”

Not missing a beat, Gage moved to grab Leo who was shrieking at the top of his lungs, falling as deep as he could into Vincent who could do very little to protect him. Before Gage reached him, and before Diedrich could somehow gain super strength to break free from the rope, Vincent grunted with conviction. This caught Farley’s attention. 

“The gag—remove it,” Farley commanded.

Gage, looking disappointed, trudged up to Vincent and loosened the cloth around his face. He coughed when the ball fell from his mouth but quickly righted himself. “Father, take me instead. I am a Phantomhive. I have committed the most sins amongst the people here. If you let them go, I will willingly lay on that altar.”

Diedrich grunted in protest, but he was ignored. 

“You will step up here and  _ allow _ me to cleanse this world of you?” The Father asked, not seeming convinced. 

“I will,” Vincent nodded, his conviction showing on his face. Diedrich started getting restless, wrestling against the cordage that chafed his skin. “It would be grand, wouldn’t it? To have a sinner like me willingly surrender my life at your holy hands?”

“You would merely be buying them time,” Farley stated, putting his hands behind his back. “It is inevitable that this world falls to God’s chosen hands.”

“I understand…” Vincent responded, “But it would bring me great peace knowing they didn’t follow so shortly after me. Let them walk and I will belong to you.”

Farley’s face stretched in a crooked smile. “You know how to bargain, Phantomhive. That must be why you’ve been able to live so long, given the way you are. You have a deal. I can guarantee their safety until the ceremony is over. After that, they are free game once again.”

“I must see them untied and walk out, of course,” Vincent added. Diedrich couldn’t believe this was happening. Did Vincent really think Diedrich would just leave him there to die!? He had to be out of his mind. Even if Diedrich was required to comply with whatever Vincent said, he would never agree to do that. 

Father Farley looked between Leo, Vincent, and Diedrich. “Alright. Gage, Eric—release the boys. Just their legs. Let them walk.”

“But, sir—” Eric started to protest, but Farley was adamant. 

“Do not defy me!” Farley shouted, causing a piece of the ceiling to drop into the water. “Do it.”

Diedrich and Leo’s legs were freed and Gage escorted them both toward the exit. Diedrich struggled, but couldn’t do much with his hand still tied. Diedrich watched behind him as Eric cut Vincent’s bounds. Vincent stood and rubbed his wrists. He looked back at Diedrich and they caught each other's gazes. Vincent’s eyes were absolute. There was no way Diedrich could convince him to stop this. But there was also no way Diedrich would let this happen. No  _ way  _ that Vincent was going to die for him. That was Diedrich’s job. 

Gage threw Leo and Diedrich outside of the chamber, making them topple over. Immediately, Diedrich stood to go back, but Gage had already shut the gate. Diedrich slammed his body against it, but it was no use. 

As Vincent walked up to the altar, Diedrich’s mind was racing with what to do. If he had his hands, he could break the lock with one of the stones in the water. He needed something sharp, like a jagged rock or a—

“Mm!” Diedrich whirled on Leo. “Mmf, mmf!”

Leo looked scared and confused but seemed to understand what Diedrich was trying to say. He glanced down at his pocket and that was all Diedrich needed to know. 

Quickly, Diedrich crouched down, his back to Leo, and leaned down to reach into Leo’s pant pocket. Diedrich struggled to stay upright, but after a few tries, he managed to pull out Leo’s brand-new pocket knife. Swiftly, he unsheathed it and began sawing at the rope left on his wrists. It took a lot of concentration and more time than Diedrich could afford because, by the time he had loosened the rope enough to get his hands free, Vincent was already laying on the table and Farley was already raising his dagger.

Ripping the gag from his mouth, Diedrich shouted, “No!” but, at the exact same time, a louder sound went off at the same time. 

Deafening, it echoed throughout the catacombs. A gunshot? But who…?

Diedrich’s gaze dropped below the pews and saw that Diamond was still alive and had managed to get ahold of one of the guns that Farley dropped from Diamond’s attack earlier. It smoked and he had it pointed straight at Farley. The dagger clattered to the floor and he fell, limp, beside it. Diamond had shot him straight in the heart. 

Everyone froze in shock. But, just as they had been warned, the catacombs started to rumble, and crumbles from the ceiling rained down. 

Diedrich, now satisfied that Vincent would be safe for a second, turned to Leo and ripped through his bindings with the knife. “Go, now—hurry!” 

Leo scrambles away as Diedrich shouted after him, “Don’t stop until you’re outside of the Lion’s Den!”

Turning back to the matter at hand, Diedrich had to get the door unlocked. 

“Hey! You idiots! Where’s the key!?” Diedrich called out to Gage and Eric, who looked panicked.

“Father has it!” Eric responded his hand over his head to protect himself from the falling rock. “I’ll s-see if I can grab it!”

Gage grabbed Eric’s arm, giving him a disapproving look. “I don’t want to die down here!” Eric escaped Gage’s grasp and made it for Farley’s body. 

“Vincent! Get under the table or the pews! Don’t get hit by the rocks!” Diedrich commanded. Vincent gazed at Diedrich before he stood and stepped down to where Diamond was, wrapping Diamond’s arm around his shoulders and dragging his limp body under the altar table. Vincent sat Diamond up and his head lulled but Vincent supported him. 

Suddenly, a huge part of the ceiling broke loose, right above where Eric was searching the Father for the key to the chamber door. 

“Eric! Look out!” Diedrich shouted, but by the time Eric heard him, he was already crushed under the boulder, along with Farley. The impact knocked the altar and cross over, blocking the way for Vincent or Diamond to escape. “Dammit!”

Diedrich turned his attention to the lock—he tried to shove his knife between the lock and the frame, thinking it might be old enough that it would break easily. With a little more work, Diedrich was right. The lock popped and he swung the door open as fast as he could. 

Diedrich started to run for where Vincent and Diamond were, but was cut off by Gage. Diedrich slid to a stop, covering his head so the debris didn’t hit him. “Gage—I know we’ve had our differences, but we need to get out of here. Now!”

“No! No one is leaving!” Gage yelled in his heavy French accent, raising his fist. “If the Mademoiselle is gone, there’s no point anymore!”

His fist came down full force on Diedrich’s arms, making Diedrich drop to one knee. Soon after that, Gage’s hands clenched around Diedrich’s throat and lifted him to his feet and even slightly above. The full force of his anger squeezed Diedrich’s jugular and he let out a gargled sound. 

Before he lost his whereabouts, Diedrich kicked his leg out, going for Gage’s peg leg. Luck was finally on his side, for it was a direct hit, making Gage lose his footing and drop Diedrich. 

Immediately taking advantage of his freedom from Gage’s grasp, Diedrich kicked him in the face, “That’s for Diamond.” Diedrich rushed Gage, burying Leo’s knife straight into his stomach. Gage gagged as Diedrich twisted it. “And that‘s… for the boys.”

Gage dropped to the ground and Diedrich stepped out of the way. Having no time to think or bask in his quick victory, a rock knocked Diedrich in the shoulder making him wince and reminding him of his priorities. 

His adrenaline the only thing keeping him going, Diedrich dashed for the altar and immediately curled his fingers under the heavy table. Pulling up with all his strength, Diedrich worked against the boulder. Grunting, Diedrich forced himself to pull the table up still higher. 

“Phantomhive!” Diedrich yelled. To his relief, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vincent crawl out from the crevice. His head was bleeding, but that was it as far as damage went. 

Diedrich desperately continued to hold the table, “Diamond!?” He questioned, but Vincent shook his head. 

“No!” Diedrich protested, as his knees gave out. 

“Let it go, Diedrich, we have to go!” Vincent shouted as the ceiling burst with a sudden rush of water. 

Diedrich dropped the table but didn’t want to give up. Diedrich fell into the rising water, looking under the table. He could see Diamond’s body. It was limp, but he looked up when Diedrich appeared below the table. 

“Noah!” Diedrich shoved the table up again, this time supporting it with his back. He reached out his hand to Diamond, who gazed at it longingly. “Noah, give me your hand! Come on!”

Diamond’s shaky hand reached just far enough that Diedrich was able to grab it. He yanked Diamond out from under the table and, with Vincent’s help, managed to get him out of the crevice. 

“Diedrich, he’s not going to make it!” Vincent told Diedrich as he let the table fall again. “He said so himself!”

“I don’t care!” Diedrich leaned down, lifted Diamond over his shoulder, and situated him safely. “Let’s go, now!”

Vincent and Diedrich trudged through the rising waters, dodging rocks and pushing bodies away. By the time they made it out of the chamber, the water had risen up to Diedrich’s elbows, making it harder and harder to carry Diamond. But he wouldn’t leave him. 

They finally made it to the staircase which was still intact. Vincent climbed several steps ahead of Diedrich, then leaned down to help pull Diedrich from the water. Diedrich’s strength was sapping from his body quickly, but he didn’t stop. They still had to get out of the Lion’s Den before it collapsed into the catacombs below. 

Finally out of the passage, Vincent and Diedrich ran through the abandoned showroom towards the second set of stairs. It was then that Diedrich was truly losing his strength as Diamond got heavier and heavier. 

“C’mon, Dee!” Vincent called above Diedrich where he was in the middle of the stairs. 

“I-I—“ Diedrich pushed to take another step up but lost his footing. He fell against the stairs as he heard the ground cracking below him. Vincent rushed to his aid. 

To Diedrich's surprise, Vincent hoisted Diamond’s legs up in his arms, then looked at Diedrich expectantly. “Together—one, two—!” On ‘three’, Diedrich forced himself to stand with great difficulty, Vincent helping in supporting Diamond. “Let’s go!”

The last stretch went by in a blur and, before Diedrich knew it, he was heaving in the night air as the Lion’s Den collapsed, the wood shards biting at his heels. 

When the rubble settled and the night was quiet once more, Diedrich finally fell to his knees, his exhaustion catching up to him. He held Diamond’s limp body in his arms as he caught his breath. Vincent stood next to Diedrich with his hands on his knees as he did the same. They were both wet from the waist down, covered in blood and dirt, and looking a little worse for the wear but they were alive. 

Diedrich finally brought himself to look down to what he already knew he would see. Diamond’s eyes were shut and his mouth was agape. His limbs had no life in them and his skin was paper white and sunken. The water had rinsed away most of the crusted blood and dirt, making for a rather angelic corpse. 

Diedrich let out a melancholy sigh. Vincent’s hand laid on Diedrich’s shoulder and he said, “I’m sorry, Dee.”

Diedrich shook his head. “He wouldn’t have made it, anyway. I just didn’t want to leave him down there. He didn’t belong among them.”

Diedrich leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Diamond’s cold forehead, his heart twinging with unmistakable regret. Regret that he didn’t get to Diamond in time? Regret that he couldn’t save him sooner? Regret that he even got involved? Certainly not the last one. Diamond gave Diedrich something more valuable than anyone before him had. His trust. 

If it were possible—if there was a God or a Heaven—Diedrich hoped Diamond could hear him. “Goodbye, Noah. Thank you.”

* * *

Very soon following the radical events of the night, Scotland Yard was on the scene. Most likely it was Leo that brought them, as he was waiting amongst the crowd that had gathered. Vincent spoke to the police, explaining to them everything that occurred. They took Diamond’s body to a nearby mortuary where Diedrich instructed them clean and dress him. 

“Are you responsible for the body, sir?” They had asked. 

Diedrich said yes and gave them his information. They didn’t ask any further questions, which Diedrich was grateful for. He didn’t feel like explaining his relation to Diamond. There was barely one, and certainly not one that would be considered valid. Diedrich couldn’t bring himself to think about it for much longer than that, otherwise, his head would start to hurt. He had numbed himself to the situation, trying to move forward as strongly as he could.

The next thing Diedrich addressed was Leo, who watched on as they took Diamond’s body away on a stretcher. He was crying. Diedrich approached him. “He will be fine. He’s in Heaven now.”

Leo sniffled, “I’m so sorry,  _ Le Chien _ —I didn’t mean to—“

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Diedrich explained, crouching down next to Leo who wiped at his sullied cheeks. Diedrich reached into his pocket and produced Leo’s knife. “In fact, you protected me. Thank you for this.”

Leo looked shocked, but relieved, “My knife!”

Leo accepted the knife back and looked it over. There were a few scratches, but Gage’s blood had washed off when Diedrich had trudged through the water, so it was at least clean. 

Suddenly, Leo wrapped his arms around Diedrich’s shoulders. 

“Thank you. Thank you, thank you,” Leo repeated, his golden locks a mess that tickled Diedrich’s skin. Diedrich hugged him back, sighing contentedly. It was finally over. They’d solved the mystery and saved the kids. There would be no more serial victims that would fall under the  ineradicable gaze of the Queen for a while yet, making this a job well done. 

The night dragged on and on and, by the time Diedrich and Vincent managed to escape the police, it was deep in the night. They had sent Leo to meet up with the rest of the performers in a place Vincent had connections with that would shelter them until they could get back on their feet. Afterward, the police set them up with a carriage and sent them on their way to Vincent’s townhouse. 

Diedrich sighed, melting into the seat of the carriage where he sat across from Vincent. Vincent was still poised, leaning his head in his hand and gazing out the window thoughtfully, not showing any outward sign that he was exhausted. Diedrich watched him through half-lidded eyes. They were both still a mess; covered in dirt and dried blood, crinkled clothes, ruffled hair. This mission was perhaps one of the least graceful that Diedrich had taken part in. A lot of the time, Vincent’s missions were pretty clear cut and clean. This mission came with a lot of uncertainties and in-the-moment planning, some of which Diedrich wished could have been avoided. Well, one thing in particular.

“Why did you do it?” Diedrich asked, out of the blue. Vincent glanced up, obviously surprised that Diedrich was still awake. 

Vincent looked out the window again before saying, “Whatever are you referring to?”

“You know what,” Diedrich responded in a sigh. Diedrich sat forward, his elbows on his knees. “It’s not your job to protect me, you know. It’s my job to protect  _ you _ .”

“Maybe I just have that much faith in you,” Vincent smiled, bemused. 

Diedrich’s brow fell. “You know that I wouldn’t have made it in time. If Diamond hadn’t helped, you would be dead.”

“That may be so, but,” Vincent closed his eyes, letting his arm relax into his lap. “The risk I took was calculated: sacrifice myself, Dee and Leo have a chance. Don’t sacrifice myself, none of us have a chance. It all worked out in the end, didn’t it?”

“You don’t seem to remember that  _ your _ life has a lot more attached to it than  _ others’ _ do,” Diedrich countered, his frustration mounting. 

Vincent merely hummed in response, obviously wanting to drop the subject. Diedrich shook his head and leaned back in his seat once more. He wanted to continue the argument, but he, much like Vincent, was too exhausted to do so. If it were any other time, Diedrich wouldn’t have let it go so easily. 

Vincent was the Earl Phantomhive, of which the name alone weighed heavily for the sake of balance; balance in the underworld, balance in the name of justice. There were villages that counted on his family’s support and continuity. If something happened to Vincent, that balance would be lost. His sister, Francis, might have to step in, but one wonders what the underground might think of this shift in power, if it even took place. Vincent’s seat on the throne was imperative. Yet he would throw it away for a child and a servant. A shakable power was a breakable power. And that made Diedrich worry. 

* * *

It was around 02:00 when Diedrich and Vincent got to the Phantomhive’s London townhouse, and around 03:30 when they had finished washing, dressing their wounds, and dressing. Tanaka was there and waiting for them when they arrived, providing them with bandages, towels, clothing, and he even helped Diedrich shave. He had grown quite the beard in the past several days and, damn, was he glad to finally have it gone. 

The day clothing they originally changed into was for Diedrich when he left to go to the station where Vincent planned on seeing him off. Once they were both fresh and nearly fully dressed in suits that Tanaka provided, Vincent insisted that Diedrich stay the night instead. Diedrich was grateful for his generosity. He wouldn’t want to head back to Germany without at least a little sleep. As well, the trains would not be running for a few more hours. There would already be pajamas provided in their respective rooms for them to change into; Tanaka seemed to have predicted that they wouldn’t want to go just yet.

“Come, upstairs—I’ll show you to your room,” Vincent invited, heading up the main staircase. “Tanaka, you may retire for the night. I will ring if I need anything else.”

“Yes, my lord,” Tanaka bowed. “Good night.”

When they reached the top of the stairs, Vincent gestured to the door immediately in front of them. 

Diedrich looked at him funny. “Isn’t this the master suite?”

“Oh, yes. Your room is right next door. I’ll just need your help getting ready for bed since Tanaka is off duty,” Vincent explained, rubbing his shoulder. “I’m quite sore, as you can imagine.”

“Hm,  _ ja _ .” Still had more to do. It was fine since the tasks were most likely menial. Diedrich would be snoring soon enough.

Diedrich pushed the door to Vincent’s room open, throwing his blazer over the nearby chair. There were already candles lit around the king-sized bed, illuminating the room in a soft, warm glow. Diedrich was glad to once again see a bed with fresh linens on it, not dirty, yellow ones. He sighed in relief of familiarity and comfort. This whole ordeal made him realize how very spoiled he was. 

Diedrich took Vincent’s topcoat, brushing the nonexistent fuzz from it before setting it aside.

“Alright, Dee,” Vincent suddenly said, settling down on the bed, leaning on his hands, “You’re free.”

Diedrich froze in his usual pat-down, not believing his ears. Free? “You mean…?”

“Congratulations, Dee… You’ve earned it.” Vincent smiled, insincerely, as he crossed his legs. “To be honest, the cruel part of me wanted to keep you forever, but I feel like I put you through the wringer on this one. You will stay in touch, though, right? And visit from time to time?”

Diedrich stared at him, dumbfounded. Never in his life did he think he’d hear those words. Never in his life did he think he’d lose the chains that belonged to Vincent Phantomhive. Freed from their bet? In not even four years?

Vincent raised an eyebrow at Diedrich’s dumbstruck face. “Or if that’s too much, you can just forget I exist?”

Diedrich shook his head. “No, that’s not—”

“It’s fine, I get it. It’s hard being around me.” Vincent picked at his pants, mindlessly. “Honestly, it’s hard to let you go. You’re  _ such  _ a good boy, Dee.”

Vincent held out his leg, waiting expectantly for Diedrich to take his shoes. “Well, I’ll set you free after you take my shoes off, of course. For old times’ sake.”

Diedrich, still unable to process what he was hearing, got down on his knees in silence, reaching for the laces on Vincent’s black Oxfords. Diedrich’s heart was sinking lower by the second. What was he feeling now? Disappointment? For once he could actually understand what he was feeling. Or at least he understood that this wasn’t what his heart wanted. 

When Diedrich popped off one shoe, he stopped. “Phantomhive.”

Vincent looked attentive. 

Diedrich took a deep breath, his head low. “This will be the only time you will hear this from me so listen carefully.”

“Okay.”

“I would do…  _ anything  _ for you. If it were in your name, I would hunt, fight, kill, and die for you. It’s not just because of an absurd cricket game bet— _ you  _ have become my everything. My every thought, my every day, my every night, my moon, my stars, my body… my  _ heart _ …” Diedrich pounded a fist to his chest over his heart, finally looking Vincent in the face with the most severely sincere expression he could muster. “I am no longer my own. All I am belongs to you. As much as I’ll regret it, I can no longer take it back. Even if it destroys me. Knowing that, you must understand why I cannot accept this.”

Vincent stared at Diedrich with an expression he’d never thought he’d see on the face of this enigmatic earl. Sheer shock, like he was looking at someone he didn’t know. Like he was looking at someone truly insane. “You cannot possibly mean that.”

Diedrich's gaze did not waver. 

Vincent scoffed, his face twisting in an estranged smile. “You must be insane—I mean, truly mental. You would dedicate yourself to me so sincerely? That will destroy you and I won’t even have to try.”

“If that makes me insane, so be it. I have already committed. I won’t apologize for it. I can’t stop it. Do with it what you will. I won’t resist.” Diedrich clenched his fists where they now rested on his thighs. He did not know what Vincent was going to say next which made him the most nervous. His nails were painfully digging into the skin of his palm. “I accept that it will destroy me. But if it is between my destruction by you or my isolation from you—I would without hesitation choose the former.” 

Vincent, in exasperation, pushed his bangs up and out of his face, coughing out a laugh. “Dee, I thought—I thought this is all you ever wanted?” Vincent shook his head, pushing his other foot in Diedrich’s face. “No, no. You don’t know what you’re saying. I’m trying to let you go, you know?”

“I know.” Diedrich pushed Vincent’s foot away from his face. “I won’t accept it. It’s insulting.”

“‘Insulting’!?” Vincent scrunched up his face in confusion. 

“Yes! You may never understand how I feel, but I’ve never been more sincere in my life! I would not have one to live without you. Which is another reason why I was  _ angry _ that you would so willingly give up your life for  _ me _ . You’re a  _ little late  _ if you wanted to get rid of me that badly, Phantomhive!” Diedrich huffed, shaking his head. 

Vincent paused for a moment. “Diedrich, it’s just—I don’t want to keep…  _ hurting _ you…”

Diedrich, upon hearing this, leaned away. “What do you mean?”

Vincent, who wasn’t meeting Diedrich’s gaze, sighed and looked up. “I’m… engaged, Dee.”

With those words, Diedrich's whole world crumbled; piece by piece it fell apart, slowly at first before it all came crashing down. Whatever hope he had had that  _ something  _ could work between them disintegrated in an instant. At that moment, Diedrich was empty—hollow. Vincent didn’t want him around anymore. Vincent was going to be  _ bound  _ to some  _ woman. _ For the rest of his life. And Diedrich wasn’t going to be in it anymore. 

“Her name is… Rachel. We’re to be married in the spring next year.” 

Every word felt like a bullet lodged itself into Diedrich’s being. He wasn’t breathing and his head was getting so hot he could barely hear anything above the roaring of blood in his veins. “Rachel,” Diedrich uttered, mindlessly. 

Vincent, in a sweeping moment of tenderness, took Diedrich’s face in his hands, guiding his gaze so that he was looking straight into Vincent’s deep, brown eyes. “Diedrich… Diedrich, I don’t want to let you go. Overall these years I’ve known you, you have become  _ so dear  _ to me… but I know—especially now—that  _ I  _ mean much more to you than I ever realized. I  _ sincerely _ regret my words and my actions.”

Diedrich looked between Vincent’s eyes and the various perfect features of his face. “You know… you know that I…?” Diedrich pressed his face into one of Vincent’s soft hands, caressing it with his. His eyebrows sunk low as he closed his eyes, relishing that feeling of Vincent's soft skin. A feeling so wonderful but, in that moment, so searingly painful.

“I know, Dee, I know,” Vincent whispered back. “It’s impossible for me to say it, but you  _ must _ know that I feel the same.”

For the first time in his life, Diedrich could feel his eyes begin to sting. His emotions. which had swollen to an unbearable amount, were overflowing now. His vision blurred and, when he blinked to clear it, he felt something warm fall down his cheek. He gasped in shock, the sensation more foreign than Vincent’s touch. Vincent wiped it away. “It’s okay… it’s okay.”

Vincent pulled Diedrich closer as his tears continued falling like a waterfall down his face. With his face pressed into Vincent’s collarbone, Diedrich felt like he could barely breathe. His face twisted in a mix of pain and relief. His voice broke as he said, “You take back those words, Phantomhive… take them back… how do you expect me to go on living without you now? Now that you’ve said those words—those  _ damned _ words!” Diedrich gripped Vincent’s sleeve, sobbing softly into the arm that was wrapped around his head.

“You don’t have to, Dee—you can stay, you can stay… I’m so sorry,” Vincent’s voice was fragile like glass. Like his voice could break any moment. Like he was about to cry too. 

Vincent ran his hand over Diedrich’s hair soothingly and it was the most vulnerable but safest Diedrich had felt in a long time. Vincent embraced every shudder from the waves of Diedrich’s ocean of emotions. Emotions he’d kept bottled up for four long,  _ long  _ years. Turmoil he chose to ignore for the sake of saving face; for the sake of preserving at least some of his heart. But as his tears cascaded down his face, seemingly endless, his aching heart flowed out with them. And Vincent cradled that too.

The two of them stayed like that for several moments, not saying anything. Not moving. At least, not until Diedrich was finished crying. 

Diedrich sniffed, finally feeling like he could move away. Finally feeling that Vincent would still be there when Diedrich let go. He wiped his face of wetness, aggressively, taking out his handkerchief to blow his nose. Vincent, being the polite man he was, looked away. 

When Diedrich finished with one final sniff, Vincent finally found his face again. “Presentable?”

“I suppose.” Diedrich still wasn’t meeting Vincent’s gaze. He adjusted his shirt and cleared his throat. Diedrich didn’t know what to say, so he stayed quiet. He wanted to move on and forget that ever happened, hoping Vincent would understand such a sentiment. It seemed that he did, as he put the foot that still had a shoe on in Diedrich’s face again. 

“Do you mind? Instead of for ‘old times’ sake’, how about doing it as a cheers—for our future endeavors?” 

Diedrich couldn’t help the smile that slipped on his face. He shook his head as he took Vincent’s foot in his hand and untied the laces. “You’re intolerable.”

“I know,” Vincent responded, proudly. He was smiling down at Diedrich. The smiles Diedrich had previously seen on Vincent’s face could not compare to the beauty that was before Diedrich in that moment. It was candid and warm, like the candlelight in the room they were sharing. The room of which the air was full of their secrets and confessions. Diedrich felt like the invisible wall that was between them at all times was missing in that moment. The wall of formalities, hesitations, and dishonesty. It dissolved as Diedrich untied Vincent’s other shoe. 

Diedrich slipped the shoe off, cradling Vincent’s foot in his hand as he set it down next to its pair by the edge of the bed. Diedrich placed Vincent’s foot back on the floor gently. 

As Diedrich straightened the shoes so that they were perfectly parallel, he could feel some sort of tension building in the air. He recognized it—it was similar to the nights he shared with Diamond before he was taken from the earth. But it felt purer. Mutual. 

In that moment, Diedrich suddenly knew they were both feeling the same thing. 

“I’ll take off the rest of mine if you take off yours?” Vincent said excitedly. Diedrich didn’t even need to respond. On instinct, they both went to work on their dozens of buttons, Vincent a little slower than Diedrich. Well, ‘slower’ wasn’t the right word. He only undid one button before he stopped to watch Diedrich, his eyes clearly brewing with an idea.

“What?” Diedrich asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

“Well, you’ve gotten to see me practically naked for the past week,” Vincent leaned back on the bed again, his head tilted at a teasing angle that revealed a lot of his neck. “It’s my turn now—strip for me.”

Diedrich, who was, but a moment ago, practically ripping his clothes off, stopped and stared at Vincent with an expression that resembled scandalization, his cheeks growing a bright shade of pink. “What—!?”

“You heard me, Dee.”

Diedrich squinted, averting his gaze as he finished unbuttoning his vest and finding himself without a reason to refuse. “I’m not going to dance.”

“Fair enough.” Vincent shrugged, with a satisfied smile. 

Not making much of a show of it, Diedrich removed his vest. He unbuttoned his white undershirt then bent down to remove his boots. 

“Wait, wait, Dee—turn around while you do that…” Vincent instructed, twirling his finger like he was telling a dog to spin in a circle.

“ _ You— _ !” With an angry grunt, Diedrich reluctantly turned away and reached for his boots again, his ears now burning in embarrassment. He could feel Vincent’s eyes on his ass. He couldn’t say that he hated it with his whole being, just with part of it. Most of it.

Diedrich got his boots off along with his high socks. Next was his pants. For that, obviously, Vincent would want him to turn around once again, but in spite of his earlier embarrassment as a result of showing off his ass, Diedrich really didn’t want to. The longer this went on, the more humiliating it felt. Diedrich did not know how Vincent could do this sort of thing for a week. And he danced! Absolutely shameful.

After taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm his heart, Diedrich did turn around eventually. He kept his back straight and shoulders square and accidentally met Vincent’s gaze. 

Vincent raised his eyebrows expectantly. He had one of his hands next to his lips, watching with a contented smile on his face. 

With a tut, Diedrich continued by pulling down his suspenders and undoing the buttons on his trousers. He let his pants fall to his ankles then stepped out of them. As soon as his pants were down, however, Vincent made a small sound like a gasp. Barely audible, but Diedrich’s hearing in that moment was sharper than a dog’s. 

“Oh my, Dee,” Vincent remarked, realizing his reaction was audible. “Would you look at that?”

Diedrich craned his head toward the ceiling, his mouth drawn thin and his cheeks redder than before. “Shut it.”

“You must imagine how happy I am to see Little Dee so excited, though,” Vincent teased, biting his bottom lip, adjusting in his seat. Diedrich was liking the fact that Vincent was almost fully dressed less and less. He didn’t respond to Vincent’s antics, mostly because he couldn’t bring himself to. “Alright, then—finish up.”

It was at this moment that Diedrich realized he shouldn’t have gotten completely dressed. Originally, he planned on heading back home if Vincent hadn’t invited him to stay. If he hadn’t put on a whole outfit, he wouldn’t have to undress for an excruciating amount of time. That said, Diedrich undid his shirt, practically throwing it off. He wanted the rest of this over with as fast as possible, mostly because it was unseemly but also because he wanted to hurry up to get to the main event. That might have been Diamond’s influence coming out.

Diedrich stood before Vincent, almost completely naked, hoping that would satisfy him. Vincent stared at Diedrich’s bare chest and stomach, his eyes scanning over what felt like every inch of Diedrich’s skin. After he didn’t say anything for a moment, Diedrich’s nerves got the best of him. “Well?”

“What? You’re done?” Vincent commented, his eyebrows curling up. “You still have your drawers. Hurry now, I’m losing interest.”

Diedrich’s eyebrows dropped in a mix of confusion and irritation. Losing interest? That couldn’t possibly be true.

With one last deep breath, Diedrich unbuttoned his underwear and slid them off. Immediately, Vincent’s gaze was only on Diedrich’s groin, his eyes crinkling with a smile when his hand hid the real one.

“Oh? You’re uncut,” Vincent pointed out. 

“Are you not?” Diedrich defended, wanting nothing more than to cover himself. 

“You’ll just have to see, now, won’t you?” Vincent leaned back. “Well done, Dee. Now you can help me get out of this… it’s getting a bit stuffy.”

“I thought  _ you _ were going to do that.” Diedrich cupped his groin to bring back some semblance of his dignity. 

“I thought I was too, but… I think I want you to do it.” Vincent leaned back on both of his hands now, as though he were laying himself out before Diedrich as an invitation. As though he were surrendering to him. 

Diedrich, feeling a little unsure of himself, approached the bed where Vincent sat waiting. Tentatively, he undid the rest of Vincent’s vest. Following along the edges with his fingers, Diedrich slipped the sleeve over Vincent’s shoulder. When Vincent made no movement to help him, Diedrich’s eyes flicked up to meet Vincent’s half-lidded ones which were watching him with playfulness gleaming within them. 

“Are you… not going to help?” Diedrich asked, not able to miss his heartbeat pick up. He hadn’t been this close to Vincent since the night he tried to kiss him—yet this was somehow more intimate. Perhaps because both of them had the same intentions.

Vincent’s ever-present smile widened slightly and he said, “No.”

“‘No’?” Diedrich repeated, picking up on Vincent’s frisky mood. “Am I meant to undress you like a doll, then?”

Vincent couldn’t seem to suppress a giggle and Diedrich thought it was better than any composition he’d heard in his life. It made his heart swell like never before, so much so, he wondered if Vincent could feel the warmth of it radiating from his chest. “Maybe.”

Vincent’s usual coy nature, which in every other situation irritated Diedrich, made him smile instead. “Really? How am I supposed to do that?”

“I suppose you’ll just have to manhandle me.” Vincent adjusted his positioning on his hands, teasingly. The playful atmosphere took over Diedrich and, almost in an instant, he wrapped one of his arms around Vincent’s back, practically lifting him over his shoulder. Vincent laughed out loud and Diedrich grunted as he yanked the vest off of one of Vincent’s arms. 

“You want to be manhandled? I’ll do it!” Diedrich exclaimed, switching arms and throwing the vest off and out of the way.

“Okay, okay, Dee! Good Lord!” Vincent laughed out, attempting to wiggle away from Diedrich’s strong arms. Diedrich let him go. “I’m going to tell Tanaka there’s a naked caveman in my room who’s trying to steal my clothes.”

“Ha!” Diedrich scoffed, “It’s your own doing—you don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do something like that.”

“Ooh, Dee, you’ve wanted to rough me up before?” Vincent laid back on the bed, his hands above his head, giving Diedrich an opening to undo Vincent’s trousers, starting with his suspenders. 

“Well, considering how vexing you are, can you blame me?” Diedrich responded before he cringed at his own words. “I mean… I’ve only thought about it. I would never actually hurt you.” 

“I know, Dee.” Vincent put his arms around Diedrich's shoulders as Diedrich guided his pants down, slowly. Vincent lifted his hips and Diedrich about died on the spot. Despite having seen Vincent on stage nearly naked, this felt like completely different territory—like Diedrich was crossing a dangerous line. Instead of a public display, this view was for Diedrich only. The thought was positively heart-stopping by itself, but the fact that it wasn’t in his head but, rather, in reality, made Diedrich feel like his soul was having a hard time staying in his body. 

Diedrich’s breathing got heavier after Vincent helped him kick off his trousers and socks. As Diedrich stared at the hem of Vincent’s drawers, his mind went blank. He couldn’t believe what was happening. Only in his wildest dreams did he think this kind of moment could be true. 

Vincent’s delicate hand found its way underneath Diedrich’s strong chin, tilting his head up and informing him he was staring for too long. “Shirt first, Dee.”

Diedrich shook his head after a short pause and crawled over Vincent again, attending to his shirt. Slowly and shakily, button after button, Diedrich exposed the skin beneath Vincent’s white dress shirt. Skin that was nearly as pale as the shirt itself, but was smoother—flawless.

Vincent sat up, shrugging off his top the rest of the way. Diedrich didn’t move even when Vincent’s face was mere inches from his. His eyes studied Vincent’s face with more care and diligence than he ever had before, memorizing the shape, color, and location of every feature. He memorized the length of Vincent’s lashes, the perfect beauty mark beneath his eye, his strong nose and, most importantly, his rosie lips. Lips that Diedrich came back to on sleepless nights. Lips he had nearly kissed not a few nights prior to this moment. 

Diedrich felt Vincent’s hands on his jaw again, this time encouraging him to close the distance. They breathed in each other’s space as their heartbeats synced. Diedrich's heart pounded powerfully along with Vincent’s, neither of them moving yet. 

With their hearts taking the lead, they both leaned in at the same time and it felt like Diedrich was free falling. Free-falling through the clouds like his last leap of faith, but as soon as Diedrich’s upper lip grazed Vincent’s bottom, he was suddenly swept up and supported by a strong gust of wind. It was everything and nothing like Diedrich expected. It felt like he was part of a miracle—like all of Diedrich’s dreams were slowly seeping into reality. And it felt so wrong but so, so agonizingly right. 

Diedrich took a deep breath in through his nose and Vincent sighed in contrast, their lips pressed firmly together. Vincent’s hands snaked around Diedrich’s neck, pulling him closer and deeper into the kiss. 

Diedrich let Vincent take control, following as he turned his head or opened his mouth to gasp for air. Vincent leaned back onto the bed again and Diedrich chased after him.

Diedrich’s heart was overflowing again and it was so painful. He felt like he needed to be closer to Vincent than was physically possible. So much closer that they were soul to soul. He grasped Vincent’s arm, tracing up to his hand around Diedrich’s neck where he laced their fingers. Slowly, Diedrich dragged their interlocked hands down so that they were pinned over Vincent’s head. Diedrich did the same with his other hand.

Vincent conformed to this position with a short moan as Diedrich settled his body weight over him, encouraging this embrace to last eternally. 

Suddenly, Vincent broke the kiss, his lashes fluttering as he opened his eyes. Diedrich forced himself to pull away. In the dim light of their room, they locked eyes. A place where Diedrich thought he would only see doubt, regret, or disgust he found certainty, content, and desire; it felt like, for the first time, Diedrich was looking at the real Vincent. No more glass barriers clouding the view.

“Let’s not get carried away before you’ve finished undressing me, Dee…,” Vincent breathed out, “Last piece.”

Diedrich sat up, looking back down at where he left off. The last thing keeping their skin from touching completely. Diedrich didn’t feel any hesitation as his fingers slipped under the hem of Vincent’s undergarments—he felt like he was finally ready to completely close the distance. There would be nothing left between them. 

Diedrich stepped off the bed, then kneeled on the ground. After undoing a couple of buttons, Diedrich carefully slipped Vincent’s drawers off, his fingers brushing over the hot skin on Vincent’s thighs until the cloth finally gave way to Vincent’s perfect dick. Perfect was a good word since it felt impossible for Diedrich’s eyes to look anywhere else. It seemed as delicate as Vincent, but it was certainly not modest. The clear view of it between Vincent’s porcelain legs, framed by his slender hips, made Diedrich’s stomach drop. It felt as though Diedrich could go over it a thousand times and he still wouldn’t fully grasp the situation he was in. 

Diedrich leaned back, putting one of his hands over his eyes to break his otherwise unyielding gaze. Vincent sat up, pressingly. “Dee?”

After Diedrich didn’t respond, Vincent became incredulous. “I know it’s not nearly as magnificent as yours, but there’s no need to be like that.”

“No, no!” Diedrich shot out his hands in protest, grabbing onto Vincent’s wrists. “It’s not that—it’s good, it’s great—!”

“‘Good’? ‘Great’?” Vincent repeated, not seeming convinced. 

“No, it’s perfect—I mean–!” It took Diedrich a second to realize that Vincent was only teasing him as he started to laugh at Diedrich utterly falling apart. Diedrich frowned deeply as his cheeks heated until they were practically red. “Phantomhive…!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just love watching you squirm, Dee, you know that,” Vincent pet Diedrich’s head like he was a dog and Diedrich jerked away from the gesture. 

Diedrich huffed, pursing his lips. Not able to linger on his anger for very long, he said, “So, you  _ are _ cut.”

“I am,” Vincent affirmed, leaning back on his hands as though he was putting himself on display. “Family tradition, I’m afraid.”

“ _ Ja _ …” Diedrich’s eyes wandered back to the subject at hand and his mind started wandering just the same. 

Vincent must have noticed since, out of the blue, he said, “Would you like to suck it?”

Diedrich jolted, his breath leaving his lungs like he was punched in the gut. “You—you would let me…?”

“Of course, Dee,” Vincent responded, casually. “I have to say, I’ve imagined it quite often.”

Diedrich was aghast. Over the years of Diedrich dealing with Vincent’s bluntness, that single phrase nearly dilapidated him. “ _ You’ve  _ imagined? Me?”

“I thought we’d been over this, Dee,” Vincent playfully rolled his eyes, side-eyeing Diedrich. “Must I spell it out for you?”

Diedrich raised his brow, thinking that might actually help him wrap his brain around it. It wasn’t an everyday occurrence, after all, having the privilege to gaze upon Vincent’s naked form. Not only that—having the  _ permission _ to  _ touch it _ . It simply didn’t connect in Diedrich’s brain. It wasn’t yet a fact to him.

Before he could react, Vincent threw a leg around Diedrich’s neck, locking his head between his thighs and forcing his face just centimeters away from Vincent’s dick. “Or perhaps you need to be commanded?”

Diedrich’s heart skipped at Vincent’s boldness and he felt his core swell with an unfamiliar feeling. It was sticky and hot, like melted candy that was tangling him. Diedrich wanted to defy it, but it was stronger than his willpower. 

“Don’t get insolent, now, Dee. You already devoted your whole  _ being _ to me.” Vincent bit his lip with a wicked smile, his eyes kindling with sadistic flames. “Or am I wrong?”

Diedrich couldn’t deny Vincent’s words nor the arousal that surged through his body at them. Diedrich's imagination often led him to a scenario similar to this—one in which Diedrich surrendered complete control to Vincent, the man who could command him to do  _ anything _ . Anything at all. His pride got in the way of these visions, thinking it wouldn’t be  _ that _ easy to make Diedrich bow down—but when faced with the actual situation, Diedrich found it easy to give in to his desire to be obedient. 

He really was a dog.

Diedrich blinked, harshly, then took a breath. He didn’t need courage anymore, he needed only listen to Vincent. His confusion, his inner battle, his uncertainty—all of it ceased at the hands of Vincent. 

Without restraints, Diedrich finally opened his mouth, letting his tongue drop out and slide from the base of Vincent’s already partly erect shaft to the very top, slowly. He let his lips caress the head, tenderly, still finding this to be a delicate situation, before letting it pop between them. 

Vincent shivered and his head lulled, suddenly. He took a quick breath, seeming to try to regain composure, before bringing his hand up to his face and biting his thumbnail. 

Remembering back to when Diamond did the same for him, Diedrich started sucking down on Vincent, varying the strength a bit to see how Vincent would respond. 

The answer was: positively. As Diedrich continued sucking, Vincent hissed and his usual cocky facade began to fall to pieces before Diedrich’s eyes. As he incorporated more movement from his tongue (something he recalled Diamond also doing that nearly drove Diedrich to the brink), it wasn’t merely Vincent’s attitude that was crumbling; it was his body as well. He was getting weak, unable to squeeze Diedrich’s head between his legs as hard as he was before. 

Diedrich reached down and pulled up Vincent’s other leg so that it wrapped around his shoulders and dove even deeper, receiving a satisfying whine from Vincent who collapsed backward onto the bed. 

In addition, Diedrich was feeling good himself. He never would have thought that making another man fall apart with his cock in his mouth would be so satisfying. The weight of it, the space it took up in his mouth, and the heat of it was almost addicting. Not only that, but just the thought that this felt good to Vincent, the only man Diedrich truly loved, was going straight to his head. He started getting greedy; his hands squeezed Vincent’s soft, porcelain thighs roughly and he began sucking harder and changing the way his tongue moved to test what would make Vincent feel the best. Every twist, twirl, and push made Vincent keen, stronger and stronger and, right when Diedrich could feel Vincent nearly reaching his peak, Vincent lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Diedrich’s hair, hard. 

Diedrich cringed in pain as Vincent sat up, slowly pulling Diedrich off his dick. Both of them panted in sync and gazed into each other’s eyes. 

“Enough…” Vincent whispered, breathlessly. With a groan, Vincent unwound his legs from around Diedrich’s neck, his expression comparable to anger. Was he mad that Diedrich did so well? It felt boastful of Diedrich to think so, but it was the only explanation he could think of. No normal person would be cross with someone who sucked their dick as they had asked.

After a few more moments of the both of them catching their breath, Vincent examined Diedrich with a cold, calculating stare. “Pervert. You’re that hard just from sucking me off?”

Diedrich didn’t respond. He didn’t feel it was his place. At that moment, he was nothing more than Vincent’s loyal servant. Let Vincent insult him, let Vincent squelch him—he desired it, even if his naturally irritable expression said otherwise.

Vincent, suddenly and aggressively, put his foot on Diedrich’s defenseless cock, making Diedrich jolt and squeeze his eyes shut. He grunted a bit, but didn’t say anything, nor did he do anything to stop Vincent. 

Vincent seemed pleased by this, as he let out a short laugh, “Not so cocky now, are you? What am I to do with you? You were such a good boy, but you're a bit too confident for my taste… I was going to reward you, but now it seems I’ll have to punish you instead.”

Vincent increased the pressure of his foot, pressing it into Diedrich’s stomach. It was achingly painful, but in the most irresistible way that made Diedrich groan in pleasure. Diedrich’s mind was fighting over what he wanted more—for Vincent to stop or for him to push harder. 

Just then, Vincent chuckled, evilly. “Oh? You like this?” Vincent wiggled his toes, making Diedrich squirm. “Guess it’s not much of a punishment, then…”

Vincent pulled his foot back and crossed his legs and Diedrich gasped at the loss of feeling. Leaning back on his hand, Vincent gazed at him, as though he were taking in the whole scene of Diedrich; sat down on his knees, hands at his sides, eyes attentive, and breathing shakily like a maltreated pet. 

Diedrich gulped, allowing himself to be witnessed by Vincent—a small part of him wanted this image to be engraved in Vincent’s mind for the rest of his life so that he  _ never _ forgot it. Never forgot Diedrich. 

“Alright, I think you’ve been patient enough,” Vincent decided, his expression shifting from cruel to gentle. “In my coat pocket, there’s a little surprise. Go and fetch it for me.”

Diedrich dropped his brow. A surprise? What in the world could it be? Vincent was one for surprises, but they were never usually small enough to fit in his coat pocket. 

Standing, shakily, Diedrich lumbered over to the chair he left Vincent’s coat hanging over. He reached into the right one, searched, but found nothing. 

“Left one,” Vincent sang, not even looking. Diedrich huffed, impatient. If this was a wild goose chase,  _ he’d _ have to punish  _ Vincent _ . Interrupting their time to go search a coat for—a vial?

Right where Vincent said it would be, Diedrich pulled out a small, glass vial filled with an oil-like liquid. Diedrich had a suspicion as to what it might be, but he didn’t want to be presumptuous. 

“Diamond gave it to me back before he escaped,” Vincent explained as Diedrich turned the little bottle over in his fingers. “He said I might need it, but, at that time, I thought he would be wrong.”

“This is…?” Diedrich, once again, was at a loss for words. In his hand, he was holding the vial of special oil that Diamond had bought for them. The one they never ended up using. His heart twinged a bit, like the vial plucked at his (currently) fragile heartstrings. But, in a way, it was almost heartwarming. “He really gave this to you?”

“Mhm,” Vincent hummed with a nod. “What do you think? Are you up for it?”

Diedrich scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “I think the question is, are  _ you _ ?”

“Oh, you want to be on top?” Vincent taunted, looking over his shoulder, coyly. He turned away, then, revealing his bare ass to Diedrich as he crawled up further onto the bed. He glanced back at Diedrich, a sly smile on his face. “I suppose I wouldn’t mind…”

Diedrich was breathing like an animal again. He wanted nothing more than to let that instinct take over and bombard Vincent with all the things he’d imagined doing to Vincent when he was alone with his thoughts. But Diedrich was a gentleman. A caveman  _ disguised  _ as a gentleman, but a gentleman nonetheless. 

Taking a deep breath, vial in hand, Diedrich approached the bed again, sitting on the edge. He looked at Vincent, who was as ravishing as ever, simply laying on his back and waiting, and said, “Are you sure it’s alright? I’ve never done this before.”

Vincent, picking up on Diedrich’s seriousness, changed his tune from sultry to concerned, “You haven't? I thought you’d done it with Diamond.”

Diedrich shook his head. “No. We never ended up, uh… going that far.”

“Oh,” Vincent blinked rapidly, letting that information sink in. After a moment of deliberation, he nodded, his confidence returning. “That’s fine then. We can figure it out together. It can’t be much different from typical sex, right?”

“And… you’ve had ‘typical sex’, yes?” Diedrich asked. He wasn’t one to judge Vincent, since he was technically in the same boat (even if the prudish part of him didn’t like the idea of premarital sex), but he wanted to know. Vincent was still a mystery to Diedrich. What he knew about Vincent’s private life was not expansive by any means—he wasn’t jealous of the people who got to be with Vincent during the every day, because Diedrich got to be part of Vincent's most interesting times, but he was still curious. 

Vincent was quiet for a bit, playing with the sheets. “I have.” 

Diedrich took a long, deep breath through his nose, not surprised but not nonplussed. It made his nerves spike a bit, knowing Vincent was more experienced. Sure, Diedrich had been with Diamond before, but that was one time. Diedrich didn’t know how many times ‘I have’ entailed. 

“I’ve never received before, though. I’ve only ever given,” Vincent explained further, putting his hand on Diedrich’s shoulder. “So, as I said before, we’re in this together.”

“Okay.” Diedrich nodded. He turned toward Vincent, looking him in the face. “And you’re  _ sure  _ you want  _ me _ to…?”

Vincent shook his head with a huff. “Dee, Dee, Dee, when will you learn? I’ve said it twice now. What is the phrase again?” Vincent put a finger to his chin. “‘Third time convinces the German?’”

Diedrich scoffed, “Not even close.”

“Well, I don’t care. I just know I don’t want to hear another word of doubt from you,” Vincent said, laying down on his back once more. “I want you to do it and that’s final.”

Diedrich pressed his lips together, gathering up his courage again. “Alright. I’ll do my best, but no promises.”

“Oh, please, you’ll do fine.” Vincent adjusted his position as Diedrich crawled onto the bed the rest of the way, his body over Vincent’s. He made sure to take in the whole of this scene—Vincent laid out on white, linen sheets beneath Diedrich, stark naked and awaiting his love. If he hadn’t already gone over it a million times in his head, it would almost be too much to bear. But Diedrich was running out of disbelief. He was still only beginning to grasp the situation. Only beginning to accept that it wasn’t a dream. But as that happened, a warmth started growing in his chest. A feeling of gratefulness that he was there with Vincent, and that they were both ready and willing to finally embrace each other’s everything. Even if it were only for one night, Diedrich needn’t ask for more.

Carefully, Diedrich popped the top off of the little vile of oil, as not to spill it. He looked it over once, then at Vincent. “Should I just pour it, or…?”

“Well, no you might waste it,” Vincent said. He sat up on his elbows. “Perhaps pour some on your fingers and spread it out first.”

Diedrich gulped, his distress rising. His ears were definitely bright red, going by how hot they felt. “Okay.” He followed Vincent’s directions, pouring a little out on his fingers. It wasn’t as watery as he expected—it almost had the consistency of honey. Diedrich wondered where Diamond got such a thing. 

Once he had a substantial amount on his fingers, Vincent spread his legs so that Diedrich had an easier time getting between them. 

“Okay, Dee, just spread it on the surface first, alright? Nice little circles…” Vincent instructed, adjusting his position as though preparing himself. 

Diedrich took a deep breath through his nose before proceeding. As soon as his index finger touched the surface of Vincent’s skin, Vincent's body twitched. 

Immediately, Diedrich panicked, “Sorry, sorry, what did I do!?”

Vincent laughed, shortly, “Nothing, it’s just colder than I expected. It’s fine, continue.”

Diedrich sighed, the tension in his body quite noticeable. Above everything, he wanted this to be comfortable and enjoyable for Vincent. He had already reassured Diedrich that he wanted it, but that was just it. Reassurance. Vincent didn’t  _ know  _ if he would like it since he’d never done it before, and that was going to be tricky for Diedrich.

Vincent did flinch again when Diedrich replaced his fingers, but quickly got used to the feeling as the oil warmed against his skin. Diedrich massaged slowly, using the pads of his index and middle fingers to help relax the muscles down there. Diedrich tried not to look too much, lest he fall to his unwavering desire to consume Vincent completely. 

“Dee… I think you can go a little farther, don’t you?” Vincent asked, his voice rather casual. Maybe Diedrich was being a little slow—lost in thought, perhaps?

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Diedrich explained, shortly. 

“I can take a little pain, you know,” Vincent turned his head to look at Diedrich, his dark bangs falling into his eyes. “What I can’t take is my impatience.”

Diedrich understood. Vincent’s words would have been pretty to anybody else who heard them, but all Diedrich could hear was ‘hurry up and make love to me idiot’ or… something along those lines.

Needless to say, it didn’t take any more convincing for Diedrich to move on. Tentatively, Diedrich pressed against Vincent’s entrance with his index finger. With the lubricant, there was only slight resistance from the tightness. Nevertheless, the tip of Diedrich’s finger slipped in, making Vincent shiver. 

Gradually, Diedrich moved his finger all the way in, testing the water. When Vincent didn’t react too harshly, Diedrich slowly started moving his finger again—in and out. 

“Does that feel alright?” Diedrich asked, his voice low. Vincent nodded in response, his voice not coming to him as fast as usual.

“Yes, Dee, it does,” Vincent responded after a moment. He sighed like he was catching his breath. “It feels a little odd, I won’t lie. And your fingers are a lot thicker than I thought they’d be…”

Diedrich paused, looking at Vincent concerned. “Thicker?”

“Well, you do have rather sausage-like fingers, don’t you think?” Vincent smiled, slightly, his cheeks red like rose petals were scattered across his cheeks. Diedrich didn’t know whether to be insulted or not. Nonetheless, he felt like, since he was talking so much, Vincent had gotten used to the feeling of the single digit. Maybe it was time to try a second. 

Drizzling a little more oil onto his middle finger, Diedrich did the same thing as last time. Gradually pressing in and letting the skin give way to his finger. This time, Vincent jumped when the second finger joined the first. 

With Vincent’s voice lost again, Diedrich boldly leaned forward and planted a kiss on Vincent’s pink lips to distract him from whatever discomfort he was feeling. Vincent hummed, gratefully, as Diedrich continued to work his fingers in and out. 

Once they had broken the kiss, Vincent’s eyes fluttered open to look into Diedrich’s. “Dee… you may or may not know it, but there is a special spot for men.”

“Hm?” Diedrich grunted in response, semi-distracted by taking in Vincent’s intoxicating scent. 

“I’ve found it before when I explored myself…”

“Wait, you’ve done this to yourself?” Diedrich looked up in surprise. He’d never expected Vincent to admit something like that, but they weren’t at the mercy of formalities anymore. And Diedrich definitely liked to hear such things.

“Yes. Curl your fingers up… around there,” Vincent instructed. Diedrich did as he was told, testing a few spots before Vincent jolted, practically jumping out of the bed. 

“Woah, are you—!?” Diedrich was about to ask if Vincent was okay, but Vincent was laughing and breathing unevenly. 

“That’s it,” Vincent confirmed. Wrapping his arms around Diedrich’s neck, Vincent looked him square in the face and said, “Let's get on with it, shall we? Work into me until it feels like you can fit that magnificent cock of yours, alright, Dee? Don’t go easy on me anymore, either. That’s an order.”

Diedrich was stunned. Vincent was being so explicit on what he wanted. There was no riddle, hint, or beat-around-the-bush strategy to get Diedrich to  _ guess  _ what Vincent wanted. He put Diedrich in full control with no limitations. As an  _ order _ . Whatever fantasy Diedrich had had about this moment before, it was nothing compared to the real thing. Then again, when did Diedrich think he was capable of predicting what Vincent would do? Vincent was as predictable as the wind; you never know when to expect it and, when it arrives, you won’t know if your hair will be ruffled or you’ll be swept off of your feet. Right now, it was the latter. 

With the motivation of Vincent’s undivided attention and approval, Diedrich began to move at his own pace. It was still careful, but it was definitely a bit faster—more hurried. Diedrich was more than excited, making his quickened movements clumsy. Vincent obviously noticed as, between his moans, he giggled a little. “Dee, I know you’re excited, but can you at least  _ try _ to be calm about this?”

Diedrich winced, losing his cool, “That’s a little harder than you think! I’m not like you, who is somehow calm in  _ every _ situation.”

“I  _ feign  _ confidence, Dee,” Vincent explained as he shifted his positioning. “You should try it sometime.”

Diedrich squinted, thinking about this. His first thought was that that was a very dishonest way to live. But his second was along the lines of ‘how much would it take to break that confidence?’. 

Diedrich suddenly pulled Vincent up onto his thighs, adjusting so that he was poised on his knees. “Then I shall try it now.”

“Oh, Dee,” Vincent teased, his expression positively devious. 

Returning to the task at hand, it was looking as though Diedrich had a little more stretching to do in order to comfortably fit inside Vincent. With that in mind, Diedrich’s fingers dove deeper than before as he slowly scissored them. He then, with not much time in between breaths, pulled them out and added a third finger. This definitely made Vincent keen and gasp, pushing back against Diedrich’s fingers like he wanted nothing more than that. 

For the last time, Diedrich fingered Vincent as he writhed beneath him, panting and tossing his head this way and that. It was getting to be so much that he reached up for Diedrich’s support, finding purchase on Diedrich’s shoulder. 

Suddenly, Diedrich’s stopped moving, making Vincent pause and look up at him. He caught his breath as he said, “It was just getting good.”

“I have…,” Diedrich bit his lip. With the level his libido was at, it was hard for him to form proper sentences. Even thoughts were coming to him sluggishly. “...something better.”

It took him a moment, but Diedrich rubbed some oil on it before aligning his cock beneath his fingers so that it was ready to go in when they came out. Vincent took notice, for his eyes widened in excitement. Vincent spread his legs more, encouraging Diedrich to get on with it. 

Diedrich nodded and pressed forward, his fingers sliding out to make way for the head of his cock. 

“Ah!” Vincent gasped, covering his mouth. Diedrich felt like doing the same. The tightness was overwhelming—he had only ever imagined what this would feel like and, damn, it did not compare. Slick from the oil and searing hot from Vincent’s rising body temperature, Diedrich couldn’t stop himself from grunting. Diedrich pushed in a little further, testing the water. His eyes squeezed shut and then when he was nearly halfway in, Vincent waved his hands. “Wait, wait a moment—!” 

Diedrich froze, his eyes immediately on Vincent whose head was thrown back as he took heavy breaths through his mouth. “Are you alright?” Diedrich whispered, wondering if he should ask or not. 

Vincent vaguely shook his head side to side, but then switched to an uncertain nod. “I don’t know… it’s bigger than I thought. Give me a moment to—get used to it.”

Diedrich leaned down on his hands so that he was practically doing a push-up over Vincent in order to see his face. Was he in pain? Did he not like it? “Do you want me to take it out—?”

“No! Of course not,” Vincent insisted, the tension in his muscle slowly receding as he continued to breathe. “It’s a little painful, but I’m fine. I want this.”

“Vincent…” Diedrich said, in a low tone. Vincent whined in a pleased sort of way.

“I love when you call me that,” Vincent responded, putting his hands over his eyes. His face was flushed and Diedrich admired how well it suited him. “You have only ever called me that in your most desperate moments… feeling desperate?”

“No,” Diedrich shook his head, “it’s just my patience is running thin…”

At this, Vincent looked alarmed, removing his arm from his eyes to gaze at Diedrich through his bangs. Diedrich could only imagine what he looked like—hair out of place, face blotchy and sweaty, his expression wanton. He wondered if Vincent found it at all attractive that Diedrich wanted every part of him so badly that it was almost ugly—so badly, in fact, that Diedrich became a depraved hedonist. In the back of his mind, Diedrich was ashamed of himself. But at the same time, there was no stopping it now. Let it be. Let it all be.

Suddenly, Vincent swept Diedrich up in another kiss, so meaningful and sweet that Diedrich could have sworn he became a puddle of goo. Vincent broke the kiss, brushing Diedrich’s hair from his forehead. “Okay, you can go deeper.”

Diedrich, once again, was in awe of Vincent’s clairvoyance. Diedrich hadn’t said anything, and yet Vincent knew that that kiss was all the reassurance Diedrich needed to lay the rest of his trust in Vincent’s hand. There was no distance anymore. Diedrich had shown Vincent his ugliest sides tonight and Vincent didn’t even flinch. 

Not wanting to waste any more time, Diedrich, as slowly as his willpower would allow, pushed all the way in; down to the very base of his cock. This was received by no small amount of noise from Vincent, but he breathed out a laugh as he caught his breath. They were finally completely skin to skin and Diedrich felt like he was on the verge of fainting. He was so lightheaded from the layers of heat that were crashing over him like waves, but he wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t.

Diedrich leaned down again, the weight of his body resting against Vincent, and buried his face into Vincent’s neck. Vincent wrapped his arms around Diedrich’s shoulders as they both prepared for what was next. 

Gradually, Diedrich began to pull back out, shaking with pleasure as Vincent gasped beneath him, every centimeter a new sensation for the both of them. When Diedrich nearly pulled out completely, he pushed back in, much faster than last time and with a little more force than before. Vincent followed along as Diedrich slowly began to set a pace. A pace at which, the longer it went on, the more and more Diedrich felt as though he was, quite literally, melding in with Vincent’s body. It was like their bodies began to harmonize and any discomfort that was left worked itself out on its own.

Diedrich, now more than ever, was hot. Sweat had started beading on his forehead making the pieces of his hair stick to his skin. And as the movements gleaned more ease, Diedrich’s speed picked up. Once that happened, Vincent began desperately scraping his nails on the skin of Diedrich’s back, as though he was trying to find purchase there. His dull nails wouldn’t do much damage, but, for Diedrich, it was the perfect alternate stimulation to bring his focus back to the beautiful man below him. 

Vincent had somewhat of an anguished expression on his face, teetering between utter pleasure and disbelief. It was the first time Diedrich had seen such an expression and it inflamed his desire. He had to see it more.

Diedrich suddenly lifted himself up onto his knees, supporting and suspending Vincent’s legs against his chest. Vincent let out a surprised cry and Diedrich felt like he was somehow deeper than before. The position would undoubtedly be uncomfortable for Vincent’s neck, but as Diedrich continued to pump into him from this new angle, Vincent gripped the sheets, his moans louder than before. It seemed his comfort was not a concern to him at that moment. 

It had been a while since either of them had said anything, but as the throbbing of Diedrich’s cock became so strong that it was achingly painful, he knew he was drawing closer and closer to orgasm. There wasn’t much time left but he managed to spit out, “Vincent—I-I’m close!”

After a heartbeat, Vincent responded, “Yes. Yes, me too! Touch me, Dee, touch me—please...”

Diedrich reached around and grasped Vincent’s dick and started jerking it, matching the rhythm of his hips. Diedrich couldn’t tell if it was still wet from when Diedrich sucked it or wet from Vincent’s precum. Possibly both.

However, Vincent was verbally grateful for the stimulation, “Dee… Dee!” he cried, almost as though the words were being ripped from him. Diedrich, unable to keep himself under control, sat back down on his feet, suddenly reaching down and lifting Vincent’s torso up from the bed. To which, Vincent wrapped his legs around Diedrich’s waist and his arms around his neck once again. 

Their pace didn’t stop, but Diedrich was grateful for the closeness. He leaned in for another kiss that ended up being more of a nudge of the nose. Both of their mouths remained agape, breathing in each other's space and brushing their lips together.

“Finish it…” Vincent commanded, and it was all Diedrich needed to hear. Remaining as attentive to Vincent’s needs as possible, Diedrich let himself slip over the edge. 

His hips stuttering, Diedrich groaned as his vision blurred and his body was hit with a waterfall of pleasure. It had built up and up and up then crashed throughout Diedrich’s whole body, making his muscles stiffen and his stomach drop. It was completely different from the last time he came. Searing heat enveloping his cock as he ejaculated made the experience maddeningly good. Diedrich already knew that that feeling combined with the arms of the one he wanted the most wrapped around his neck would be addicting. He could barely breathe—it was more exhilarating than ever anticipated. It was not something he had imagined often, since sex with Vincent had seemed so completely out of reach, but after Diamond had helped him grow his sexual maturity, the thought kept crossing his mind whenever he was around Vincent for the remainder of their mission. What if? For once, Diedrich was glad he asked—was glad he hoped. And, even though he already came, he still had more yet to look forward to. 

Watching Vincent.

“A-Ah…!” Vincent shuddered, his grip tightening into Diedrich’s skin again. “Don’t stop, don’t stop, Dee!”

Although his movements were erratic as he rode out his own orgasm, Diedrich did as he was told, with a little assistance from Vincent, who bobbed up and down, chasing Diedrich’s hips. The sound of Vincent’s voice, the sound of their skin slapping against each other, the heat of the moment—Diedrich drank all of it down like it was the nectar of the ancient gods. Everything was bathed in gold and it pulsed with each one of Diedrich’s heartbeats. 

“I-I’m—!” Vincent started but was cut off as he reached his peak. Diedrich watched as Vincent came, his release splattering on Diedrich’s stomach and chest. Diedrich pressed his lips into Vincent’s collarbone, kissing along it and Vincent’s shoulders. Vincent’s typical composition was gone as he moaned and panted, his head thrown back in pleasure. Gradually, Vincent began streaming back down from the height of his orgasm and his eyes found Diedrich’s—the color was darkened from the shadow of his long eyelashes so that his eyes were practically black in the golden light of the candles. Black with lust.

“Dee…” Vincent whispered, his hand raking through the hair on the back of Diedrich’s head. He was glistening with sweat and, although Diedrich had thought it a million times before, he was a glowing figure of beauty. Even more so now that he had shared himself with Diedrich. Or rather… they shared  _ each other _ . Vincent pulled Diedrich in for another kiss that brought upon cascades of euphoria. Even when Vincent broke the kiss, Diedrich could still feel his lips. “That… was so lovely…”

Vincent rested his forehead against Diedrich’s and Diedrich smiled, the both of them still trying to catch their breath. “Really?”

Vincent hummed in response.

Diedrich, despite his fatigue starting to set in, ran his hands over Vincent’s bare thighs and up his back. His skin was absolutely flawless. There wasn’t a single part of Vincent that Diedrich didn’t admire, but his face was what Diedrich appreciated the most. And the way Vincent’s attention was on him and  _ only  _ him? Exquisite. 

“Dee,” Vincent said, breaking their silent afterglow. Vincent brushed Diedrich’s bangs from his face and Diedrich grunted in response. “Did you bring a towel over?”

Diedrich’s eye popped open, at that moment realizing that he had just come inside Vincent and that his dick was currently the only thing stopping that from getting all over their fresh linens. “ _ Scheiße _ .”

Vincent laughed, the sound more like hiccups than an actual laugh. “Guess you’ll have to carry me, eh?”

Diedrich shook his head, rubbing his eyes. There would be clean towels in the dresser next to the door. “C’mon, then.”

He wrapped his arms around Vincent’s waist and Vincent adjusted his grip on Diedrich’s waist. Awkwardly, Diedrich unfolded his legs from underneath himself, his balance swaying a bit since Vincent’s weight was leaning in the opposite direction Diedrich needed to go. He grunted and Vincent continued to giggle in groggy glee. “You’re strong, Dee, you can do it.”

Once Diedrich finally got to his feet, Vincent nestled his head in the nook of Diedrich’s neck and sighed, sweetly. Diedrich would have found it the most endearing thing ever if he wasn’t currently doing acrobatics to keep from making a mess. 

Diedrich, after much struggling, managed to nab a few towels, laying one on the bed. With the best aim he could muster, he laid Vincent down with a sigh, relieved that his naked-circus act was over. 

He situated Vincent, who watched patiently with his eyes half-lidded, before slowly pulling out. Then, it was Vincent’s turn to sigh. 

As Vincent, er…  _ drained _ , Diedrich dunked one of the washcloths into the pitcher of water next to the bed. He cleaned himself of the leftover cum before doing the same for Vincent. 

Vincent sat up on the towel and took the wet cloth from Diedrich. He wiped his face of sweat then smiled at Diedrich. Diedrich suddenly felt extremely self-conscious. “... What?”

“Nothing,” Vincent shrugged, looking over his shoulder: “I was just thinking that that was my first time with a man and it’s definitely not going to be the last.”

Diedrich frowned, not liking the implications of  _ other _ men for more reasons than one. 

“I think I’ll start inviting you over more often,” Vincent finished, giving Diedrich the towel back. 

“You can’t—you’re getting  _ married,  _ remember?” Diedrich reminded, too happy to be bitter. 

“Oh, don’t worry, Rachel won’t mind,” Vincent explained, gazing at the ceiling absentmindedly. “She and I have an understanding, you see. Besides, there’s still much to explore between  _ us _ , Dee.”

Diedrich thought that Vincent’s fiancée seemed like a strange one, but she had to be special if she had a  _ chance _ at surviving what Vincent would throw her way. On top of that, Diedrich started to like the implications much better. Not with other men, but with Diedrich. It was enough to make him blush. “Well, I won’t ask about your fiancée but… I assume that means you…  _ also  _ had a good time?”

“Oh, magnificent. It was much better than I expected!” Vincent nodded with his chin in his hand. “Although you were a little too  _ gentle  _ for my taste, that’s perfectly fine. You’re just a beginner after all.”

Diedrich huffed, grabbing Vincent’s nightshirt from where it got tussled on the bed. “All in due time, I suppose.”

Vincent looked excited that Diedrich agreed, “I suppose so.”

Diedrich threw Vincent’s fresh nightshirt over him as Diedrich stood to gather his undergarments. Diedrich didn’t often sleep with a shirt, as that proved a bit hot, but he was also too tired to worry about that. 

Slipping into his undergarments (not exactly buttoning them), Diedrich waited for what Vincent had to say. Diedrich wasn’t certain if he was allowed to stay the night in the same bed. He would and would like to, but only with Vincent’s say-so. 

Vincent had drawn the covers and was settling in when he opened the other side of the bed and patted it, gazing at Diedrich. “Come now, puppy, it’s okay to stay the night.”

Diedrich let a smile grow on his face and he sighed. He wanted to believe it was out of vexation at being called a dog again, but it most certainly was out of relief. Relief to stay. Relief that Vincent still wanted him around. 

When Diedrich laid down and adjusted himself under the covers, Vincent scooted closer and laid his head on Diedrich’s chest. Diedrich was reminded of when they first started the mission—after he had fought Gage—when Vincent put Diedrich to bed. And kissed him on the hand. At that time, Diedrich thought he had imagined it. But now he was happy to know that he hadn’t. It’s just that Vincent wasn’t as subtle as he thought he was. 

Vincent sighed, contentedly, nuzzling into Diedrich’s chest, and began playing with the hair there. “You’re so hairy.”

Diedrich chuckled softly, “No, I think you’re hairless.”

Vincent laughed with him, “You know, you may be right.” Vincent paused, continuing to make circles in Diedrich’s skin. After a short moment, he asked, “Was it everything you wanted, Dee?”

Diedrich thought for a moment. “How do you know I wanted it?”

Vincent scoffed, sitting up. “Well, I  _ hoped  _ you would.”

“Right,” Diedrich responded. He didn’t believe Vincent—it was obvious that he knew. But since Diedrich already asked Vincent if he had a good time, it was only fair for Vincent to ask the same. 

“Well?”

“It was… better than I ever imagined,” Diedrich admitted, much to the pleasure of Vincent who grinned from ear to ear. Diedrich shook his head, Vincent’s talent for embarrassing him as strong as ever. “I won’t be saying anything like  _ that _ again.”

“No, Dee, I love when you compliment me,” Vincent scooted closer, looking up at Diedrich with his sparkling brown eyes. “Do it more.”

“Hmm, I don’t think so,” Diedrich decided, reaching up and taking Vincent’s hand in his. He pulled it to his lips to return the favor. A little late, but returned nonetheless. 

“Wrong spot,” Vincent teased, and, to Diedrich’s delight, he leaned up to connect their lips once more. Diedrich’s whole being was warmed like he was aflame. He never wanted to forget this feeling. Vincent’s lips were ever so soft and luxurious, making Diedrich wish he could taste them forever. But like all good things, it came to an end. Vincent broke the kiss but didn’t change the distance. He gazed into Diedrich’s eyes and Diedrich wondered what he was thinking. Certainly, something similar to what Diedrich was. Tiredly content. Incandescently happy. “Good night, Dee.”

“Hm… good night,” Diedrich snuggled into Vincent, his arm snaking around Vincent’s shoulder which Vincent gracefully melted into. 

The moonlight that night couldn’t compare to the glow from the room Vincent and Diedrich shared—a light Diedrich only dreamed of having in his grasp. If it meant he could stay there forever, he would give anything. But the morning would come. 

And for once, that was okay with Diedrich.

* * *

The next morning came and went. Diedrich woke when Vincent got up and they both got ready for the day and had breakfast. Tanaka tended to them, providing them with tea and plenty of breakfast (which Diedrich gobbled down). At the breakfast table, Diedrich watched Vincent stretch his back, a pained look on his face. Diedrich tried not to cringe, knowing what that was about. 

“Alright, sir? Does your back hurt?” Tanaka had asked and Diedrich looked the other way. 

“Mm, yes, something like that,” Vincent smiled, his gaze falling on Diedrich. Again, Diedrich didn’t look up from his food. “Must have slept in an awkward position.”

“I see,” Tanaka answered, his eyes glancing at Diedrich. “And you, Baron? Did you sleep well?”

“ _ Ja, _ thank you,” Diedrich said, shortly. 

“He slept like a bear. I could hear his snoring from my room!” Vincent commented, making Diedrich squint. “The poor man was absolutely tuckered. He worked very hard for me.”

“Hmph,” Was all Diedrich could respond. 

“That’s wonderful, my lord,” Tanaka smiled, adjusting his glasses. “Not to switch subjects so quickly, but what is the plan today? Am I to pack for your return to the manor?”

“Ah, that would be lovely,” Vincent nodded. “We have a little business left for today, so you should have plenty of time to prepare.”

“Very good, sir,” Tanaka bowed then nodded to the maids that stood in the corner. They tiptoed out, no doubt preparing for Vincent’s departure. 

“Bring my black coat and hat, Tanaka,” Vincent instructed. “As well as prepare a travel coat and hat for Diedrich. He’ll be headed back to Germany tonight.”

“Ah, leaving so soon?” Tanaka gave Diedrich a small smile. “You will be missed, baron. Perhaps you will be visiting again under different circumstances?”

“Perhaps,” Diedrich shrugged, not good with casual conversation. He was awkward like that. 

“Very good, sir,” Tanaka nodded to him. “I shall let you finish breakfast. Oh, and happy birthday, my lord.”

Diedrich’s expression dropped. Birthday? What day was it? It was only then that Diedrich realized he didn’t know when Vincent’s birthday was. “It’s your birthday?”

“Hm?” Vincent looked up from his tea, “Oh, yes. June 13th, every year.”

Diedrich’s brow dropped, “Why didn’t you tell me last night?”

“I didn’t want you to think it was for any other reason. Our little… you know,” Vincent sipped his tea, his smile turning more teasing. 

Diedrich ignored when his face heated in embarrassment, but he was unable to ignore the flashes of last night that popped in his head. He didn’t know then that it was Vincent’s birthday. And, yes, it would have been a different experience if he had. But that didn’t mean he didn’t want to know. “Well…  _ Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Gebrutstag. _ ”

“Bless you,” Vincent joked and Diedrich was glad he was across the table and out of reach, otherwise he’d choke him.

“Agh, it means ‘congratulations on your birthday’, idiot,” Diedrich scoffed, continuing to eat but with more aggression. 

“I know, Dee, thank you,” Vincent shrugged, “Never really one to celebrate my birthday much after I turned eighteen. Last night was probably the best ‘celebration’ I’ve had since. Or perhaps it was a present…”

Diedrich was incapable of ignoring the heat that established itself on his cheeks. He was also unable to stop himself from smiling, despite how it made him feel bawdy inside. “ _ Güd _ . I suppose.”

Vincent didn’t move his content gaze for quite some time after that. Diedrich returned the look several times but continued eating. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but that was because Diedrich knew what they were both thinking. About last night. The joy it brought Diedrich was indescribable. Probably because it was the happiest he had been or ever will be. 

Vincent was the first to break the silence, unable to hide his bemused state of mind. “Alright, alright. Finish up your breakfast. You’ve earned it.”

Finish breakfast he did. It was the most satisfying meal Diedrich had had in days—literally. Diedrich had a bottomless appetite and he was certain he had lost some weight from the scraps he was surviving off of when in the Lion’s Den. He chose to ignore the occasional looks he was getting from Vincent when looking up from the morning paper, as he devoured bacon, bread, vegetables, scones, and even a whole apple. And tea, of course. Lots of tea.

When Diedrich finally finished, it was time to head out. Diedrich figured the ‘business’ Vincent was speaking of was to do with the Queen, but when they got in their coach together, Diedrich noticed they weren’t headed toward Buckingham Palace.

Instead, they headed to the outskirts of London. Vincent was silent as they continued, and Diedrich thought it best not to ask, but he wanted to. He also had business he needed to attend to before he left for Germany.

On the outskirts, they began to pass by a large cemetery. And as they neared the entrance, the carriage slowed down. Diedrich looked at Vincent, confused. “Why are we…?”

Vincent nodded out the window toward where Diedrich couldn’t perfectly see. The coachman opened the door and Diedrich looked out, noticing a small gathering of people around a fresh grave. 

Diedrich recognized them. 

“I had Tanaka go to the mortuary last night after we went to bed,” Vincent explained as they exited the carriage. “He had everything arranged.” 

Diedrich rounded the short, black fence, his gaze not leaving the group surrounding a grave beneath a small tree. One by one, they turned their heads. Chase, Lotus, Mbali, Leo, Aais, Zuzu, and, last but not least, Ange, recognition lighting up their faces. They were all dressed in new, black funeral clothes. Diedrich offered an awkward smile. He knew where this was going—he was not stupid—but that made him hesitate more. Was he ready for this? 

Despite this, Diedrich and Vincent approached the gathering, Vincent’s hand on Diedrich’s back in silent support. Quietly, Diedrich looked down at the grave. It appeared as though they missed the burial, but Diedrich was more occupied by what the headstone said. 

> _ Here lies Noah Hartmann _
> 
> _ A Diamond in the Rough _
> 
> _ April 11th, 1850 - June 12th 1872 _

Diedrich covered his mouth. Despite knowing what he was stepping into, it still shocked him in a way. Death was never easy. But Diedrich now knew it hurt more when the victim was someone you were intimate with. It stung.

Diedrich crouched down, reaching forward and tracing his hand over Diamond’s name. _ Noah Hartmann… _ even if it was Diedrich’s undercover name, Diedrich thought it suited Diamond nicely. And Diedrich was glad to be tied to him still, in some way. 

“Uhm… Mr. Hartmann,” Ange spoke to Diedrich’s right. Diedrich looked up only to see a bouquet of flowers. White lilies. “We brought these for Diamond. Would you like to lay them?”

Diedrich was speechless. Not that he didn’t have any words, just that he felt incapable of saying them at that moment. He nodded instead, gently accepting the bouquet. 

“Shall we say a few words?” Chase said, taking Lotus’s hand who took Mbali’s. Mbali opened the circle to Vincent who joined, connecting Ange and the rest of the boys. Diedrich remained crouched gazing at the ground. 

Lotus began, “You were known by many people and admired by more. You were loved and are still loved and will be missed. But with everything that shines, we will think of you. You had many names, but we will always remember who you were at your best. A diamond.”

Several of the boys were already crying, going by the sniffs that joined the quiet summer air. 

“Diamond—I didn’t get to thank you for protecting me,” Ange started in, his face waterfalling with tears. “You were like a big brother to me. Someone I’ll always look up to. I-I’ll miss you so much!”

“Yeah! Me too!” Aais and Zuzu agreed through their sobs.

“You were the strongest one out of all of us… I’ll be stronger for you, Diamond. Thank you!” Leo added, wiping his face. It was then Diedrich looked up. Listening to everyone’s words—seeing them cry for the loss of their dear friend—made Diedrich feel less…  _ alone _ somehow. Diamond had his fair share of admirers, but he also had a family that would help carry on his memory—a burden Diedrich thought he’d have to carry on his own. 

Diedrich was not the only one that loved Diamond. And he was probably not even the one who loved him most. 

Diedrich’s gaze was on the ground again and laid the flowers down on the freshly dug dirt. “Good-bye, Diamond. Thank you.”

Out of nowhere, a little white butterfly fluttered amongst the group, circling around Diedrich’s head before landing on one of the lilies in the bouquet. Collectively, the group gasped, gazing at the butterfly in awe. It flitted its wings, before taking off again and flying away above Chase’s head. 

He ducked, staring at it in shock. “He always has to steal the spotlight, doesn’t he?”

At this, the group (Diedrich included), couldn’t help but laugh. 

* * *

With their little private ceremony finished, Diedrich began to say his good-byes. Despite this being a funeral, everyone seemed in good spirits. Good spirits about the prospects of their future. Leo told Diedrich he was going to ask to work with his ‘Grandpa’ at the little shop he owned. It didn’t sound like a bad idea. Lotus and Mbali were looking to travel and Vincent was happy to sponsor their trips. Chase seemed interested in a casual lifestyle, making something of himself in London. He remembered a restaurant he’d often pass when their group got to go out on the town that interested him. He said he’d look for work there, and Diedrich thought that suited him fine. 

Aais and Zuzu were far too young to do much except join an orphanage. They wanted to stick together, they said, so Vincent offered to be someone they could fall back on if they weren’t adopted together or when they came of age. The Phantomhives did own a large plot of land that housed many people—if Vincent gave their orphanage his contact information, they would be safe. 

As for Ange, Diedrich didn’t know. As he was chatting with the other boys about their bright futures, Ange remained by Diamond's grave, quietly staring down at the ground. Diedrich decided he should see if he was okay. 

Silently, Diedrich approached Ange and stood next to him. Ange was sniffing, as though he were still crying. He wiped his face before saying, “I don’t know what I’m to do…”

Diedrich pursed his lips. That was the question of the day. None of the children had any family that they knew of. Ange was old enough to work, but the jobs didn’t suit him. He was too fragile for factory work, too shy and weak for chimney sweeping… service seemed to be the one job he was any good at. He could join Chase, but Diedrich doubted that would be a good influence on him. 

“You… like to dance, don’t you?” Diedrich inquired with his hands behind his back. “You could do theatre or take ballet.”

Ange looked up at Diedrich then, his eyes sparkling. “You think so?”

“ _ Ja _ ,” Diedrich confirmed, lowering his head. “If you, em… if you work hard and perhaps take part in a production… I would gladly come to see it.” 

Ange was practically glowing, “You would!? Th-That’s a brilliant idea! I could be in a play!”

Ange jumped on Diedrich, hugging him tightly. Diedrich felt like he could get used to such friendliness. Which was probably bad, since he was going back to his secluded castle in Germany. Nonetheless, he returned the gesture. “Just… stay in contact with Phantomhive. He can connect you to me.”

“ _ Merci! Merci _ , Baron Diedrich!” Ange smiled brightly up at Diedrich before running to tell his friends. Diedrich was happy to see him in better spirits. To see them  _ all  _ in better spirits. Knowing they would be okay, and that Vincent would make certain they would be, set Diedrich’s mind at ease.

With one last look at Diamond’s grave, Diedrich quietly exited the cemetery. Vincent was caught up in chatting with everyone about the prospects of their futures, but that didn’t mean he didn’t notice Diedrich leave.

When Diedrich waved down a cabbie, he turned and gave one last look to Vincent, who returned it with one of his usual lovely smiles. Diedrich smiled back and Vincent waved, ‘till next time’ lingering between them. 

Diedrich knew he would be seeing Vincent again as soon as another mission called for it. Only next time, there would be no awkward tension between them. Since they finally addressed the elephant in the room, Diedrich finally had something to look forward to rather than dread. He and Vincent were no longer strangers, business associates, or even simply friends. They were partners. Till death do them part. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's almost been a year's worth of work on this fanfic and I'm so grateful for the lovely response it's received. Everyone who has left comments has made my day every time I've read them. Thank you to everyone who stayed loyal to this little fic & pairing. VinDee needs more love and so does Diedrich. I hope those who have finished my fanfic will give these two more thought because they are a complicated and interesting pair. 
> 
> I LOVE YOU ALL!! Stay tuned for my next VinDee. I've almost finished another! It's not going to be as long, but it's going to explore their relationship post-marriage and how they decided to navigate that with Rachel. Look forward to it and I'm almost done! 
> 
> Till next time!


End file.
